Charge neutralisation of insulating surfaces in the SEM by gas ionisation

作者：David Moncrieff, V. N. E. Robinson, L. B. Harris · 发表于：Journal of Physics D Applied Physics · 年份：1978 · DOI：10.1088/0022-3727/11/17/002 · 被引用次数：121 · 研究领域：Electron and X-Ray Spectroscopy Techniques、Corrosion Behavior and Inhibition、Ion-surface interactions and analysis

A theory is presented in which the elimination of charging artefacts on uncoated insulating surfaces in the scanning electron microscope by a low-pressure ambient gas is taken to be due to ionisation of the gas. Curves of ion current against ionising field calculated from a model of gas neutralisation give good agreement with the variation of measured ion currents passing through metal specimens. This result permits a precise interpretation of the behavior occurring at the surface of insulating specimens.