Abstract
We have modified scanning transmission x‐ray microscopes (STXM) at the Canadian Light Source and the Advanced Light Source with total electron yield (TEY) detection (TEY‐STXM). This provides improved surface‐sensitive detection, simultaneous with existing bulk‐sensitive transmission detection in the STXM microscopes. We have explored sample‐current and channeltron‐based electron yield detection. Both approaches provide improved surface sensitive imaging and spectroscopy, although channeltron‐based detection is superior. TEY‐STXM provides surface sensitive imaging of ultrathin films such as phase‐separated Langmuir‐Blodgett monolayer films, as well as differentiation of surface and bulk oxides of patterned metallic thin films. This paper will outline the experimental challenges of this method and the opportunities for correlative surface and bulk measurements of complex samples.
Highlights
Scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM) is a useful technique for studying the microscopic structure of polymer, biological, bioinorganic and magnetic materials, for dynamic studies and for molecular environmental sciences studies [1]
The chemical, orientation, and magnetic sensitivity [1, 2] of absorption-contrast STXM comes from the sensitivity of near edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, which can be accessed through spatially resolved spectra, images at specific x-ray energies, or image-sequences across absorption edges in x-ray microscopes
By examining the TEY-STXM of phase-separated Langmuir-Blodgett self-assembled monolayers and Experiment Set-up: We have explored two ways to measure total electron yield in a STXM microscope: sample current and single-electron counting with a channeltron
Summary
Scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM) is a useful technique for studying the microscopic structure of polymer, biological, bioinorganic and magnetic materials, for dynamic studies and for molecular environmental sciences studies [1]. The chemical, orientation, and magnetic sensitivity [1, 2] of absorption-contrast STXM comes from the sensitivity of near edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, which can be accessed through spatially resolved spectra, images at specific x-ray energies, or image-sequences across absorption edges in x-ray microscopes. With a typical lateral spatial resolution of 30-50 nm, STXM provides higher spatial resolution than spectromicroscopy techniques such as Raman microscopy, and induces less radiation damage than transmission electron microscopy–electron energy loss spectroscopy (TEM-EELS) when obtaining similar spectroscopic information [3]. Covelli et al found that x-ray-induced photodeposition was a significant barrier to STXM microscopy of thin organic adsorbates on clay surfaces [4]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call