Measurements of Secondary Electron Yield for Validation of Scanning Electron Microscopy Models

Published

July 25, 2025

Author(s)

Olga Ridzel, Glenn Holland, John Villarrubia

Abstract

Reliable models of electron-solid interactions are essential to accurately infer geometrical dimensions from the intensity line scan of SEM images. Refining existing models is complicated by the lack of benchmark experiments; the available measurement results on secondary electron yield (SEY) differ among laboratories by a factor of two or more. We describe the development of a measurement instrument to produce reliable, consistent electron yield data to support model validation. A spherical retarding field analyzer (RFA) is the essential component of this instrument, designed to measure electron yields and energy spectra with varying beam energy and angles of incidence. The design and use of the RFA to measure secondary electron and backscattered electron yields are described, as is the first test measurement, secondary electron yields from oxyge-free high thermal conductivity copper as a function of incident electron energy. The measurements were performed at a pressure of 4 x 10-8 Pa and results are compared to two of the more careful earlier studies in the literature.

Citation

Microscopy and Microanalysis

Volume

31

Issue

Supplement 1

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1093/mam/ozaf048.265

Local Download

Keywords

SEM modeling, electron yield metrology

Citation

Ridzel, O. , Holland, G. and Villarrubia, J. (2025), Measurements of Secondary Electron Yield for Validation of Scanning Electron Microscopy Models, Microscopy and Microanalysis, [online], https://doi.org/10.1093/mam/ozaf048.265, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=959621 (Accessed October 10, 2025)