A Super-High-Resolution HVEM (H-1500) Newly Installed in NIRIM

Abstract

A new high-voltage electron microscope (H-1500) specially aiming at super-high-resolution (1.0 Å point-to-point resolution) is now installed in National Institute for Research in Inorganic Materials ( NIRIM ), in collaboration with Hitachi Ltd. The national budget of about 1 billion yen including that for a new building has been spent for the construction in the last two years (1988-1989). Here we introduce some essential characteristics of the microscope.(1) According to the analysis on the magnetic field in an electron lens, based on the finite-element-method, the spherical as well as chromatic aberration coefficients ( Cs and Cc ). which enables us to reach the resolving power of 1.0Å. have been estimated as a function of the accelerating As a result of the calculaton. it was noted that more than 1250 kV is needed even when we apply the highest level of the technology and materials available at present. On the other hand, we must consider the protection against the leakage of X-ray. We have then decided to set the conventional accelerating voltage at 1300 kV. However. the maximum accessible voltage is 1500 kV, which is practically important to realize higher voltage stabillity. At 1300 kV it is expected that Cs= 1.7 mm and Cc=3.4 mm with the attachment of the specimen holder, which tilts bi-axially in an angle of 35° ( Fig.1 ). In order to minimize the value of Cc a small tank is additionally placed inside the generator tank, which must serve to seal the magnetic field around the acceleration tube. An electron gun with LaB6 tip is used.