AbstractBasic investigations of secondary electrons (SE) relaxation and attenuation are made by means of Monte Carlo simulations using ballistic electron scattering and interactions with optical and acoustic phonons as well as impact ionization of valence band electrons. Then the electron beam induced selfconsistent charge transport and secondary electron emission in insulators are described by means of an electron‐hole flight‐drift model (FDM). Ballistic secondary electrons and holes, their attenuation and drift, as well as their recombination, trapping, and field‐ and temperature‐dependent Poole‐Frenkel detrapping are included. Whereas the initial switching‐on of the secondary electron emission proceeds over milli‐seconds due to long‐lasting selfconsistent charging, the switching‐off process occurs much faster, even over femto‐seconds.Thus a rapid electron beam switching becomes possible with formation of ultra‐short electron beam pulses offering an application in stroboscopic electron microscopy and spectroscopy. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)