Principles and Practice of Variable Pressure / Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (VP-ESEM)

Dr Debbie Stokes, Academic Visitor, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, UK and Director of MicroSci; Obtained her degree in polymers from Bristol University in 1994.In 1996 moved to Cavendish laboratory to do her Ph D on use of environmental SEM with Professor Athene Donald.In 1999 became Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellow and a Junior Research Fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge, becoming a Senior Research Fellow in 2002.Currently working at the Cavendish Laboratory funded by her consultancy business MicroSci.

• Contents Chapter 1 -A brief historical overview1.1 Scanning electron microscopy1.2 The development of imaging in a gas environmentChapter 2 -Principles of SEM2.1 Introduction2.2 Electron sources2.3 Electron optics2.4 Signals and detection2.5 Practical aspects of electron beam irradiation2.6 the sem in operation  Chapter 3 -General principles of VP-ESEM: utilising a gas3.1 Introduction3.2 VP-ESEM instrumentation3.3 Signal generation in a gas3.4 Imaging with water vapour   Chapter 4 -Imaging and analysis in the VP-ESEM: the influence of a gas4.1 Introduction4.2 Background to theoretical calculations 4.3 Which gas?4.4 Exploring the gas path length4.5 How much gas?4.6 X-ray microanalysis in the VP-ESEM  Chapter 5 -Imaging uncoated specimens in the VP-ESEM5.1 Introduction5.2 Electronic structure5.3 Factors affecting secondary electron emission5.4 The influence of the specimen on the system5.5 Time- and temperature-dependent effects5.6 imaging soft materials5.7 Effects of ions on imaging5.8 Imaging with a gas: summary  Chapter 6 -A lab in a chamber – in situ methods in VP-ESEM and other applications6.1 Introduction6.2 Nanocharacterisation of insulating materials6.3 In situ experiments6.4 Other applications