A New High Performance Electron Energy Loss Spectrometer for use with Monochromated Microscopes

Abstract

A new type of electron energy loss spectrometer for use with monochromated microscopes is presented. The energy resolution of the spectrometer is better than 0.100 eV. A completely new electron optical design with a number of extra optical elements and advanced tuning software makes it possible to correct spectrum aberrations to 4th order, which increases sensitivity and collection angles. New high-stability electronics make it possible to maintain energy resolution over a period of several minutes in a practical laboratory environment.The energy resolution of Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEMs) equipped with electron energy loss spectrometers is determined by a combination of the energy spread of the electron source, the stability of the microscope’s high voltage power supply, and the energy resolution of the spectrometer. Commercial microscopes usually employ electron sources with an energy distributions of around 0.5 eV or more (FWHM), limiting the energy ultimate energy resolution that can be achieved. Recently FEI constructed a special 200 kV TEM with a built-in monochromator which makes it possible to monochromize the electron source to better than 0.100 eV. A prototype of the presented spectrometer has been installed on this microscope.