Work

Advantages of low voltage electron microscopy in semiconductor research

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Investigating semiconductors free of radiation damage on a sub-nanometer scale is essential for the development of modern semiconductor technologies. The robustness of such devices is often associated with chemical impurities that mainly decorate crystallographic lattice defects. Low voltage (scanning) transmission electron microscopy (LV-(S)TEM) combines all the analytical advantages of a (S)TEM with the fact that radiation damage is avoided. In addition, the optical properties can also be determined using valence electron energy loss spectrometry (VEELS), as relativistic energy losses can also be prevented. Using GaN we demonstrate the importance of the right choice of beam energy and discuss its influence on spatial resolution, since lattice defects are very localized. For GaN we find 60 keV to the best compromise between spatial resolution and damage free analytical investigations employing VEELS and cathodoluminescence (CL) without being altered by relativistic radiation emission, such as Čerenkov-radiation and its corresponding energy losses.

Source: Methods in microscopy

DOI: 10.1515/mim-2025-0015

Authors: Michael Stöger-Pollach, Ze F. Scales, Leo Stöger, Firat Becer, Andreas Steiger-Thirsfeld

Institution: TU Wien

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications

Subfield: Structural Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,260

Funder: Technische Universität Wien Bibliothek