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PUBLICATIONS

'High Resolution' Is Often Sought in SEM Imaging, But Establishing Visibility May Be the Challenge: Always Ask "What Might I Be Missing?"

Published

Author(s)

Dale E. Newbury

Abstract

The visibility of objects in scanning electron microscope (SEM) images is limited by random noise in the signal, and a relation can be established between the contrast produced by an object relative to local background and the instrument parameters: electron detector efficiency; beam current, and pixel dwell time.
Citation
Microscopy and Microanalysis
Pub Type
Journals

Download Paper

Local Download

Keywords

contrast, scanning electron microscope, threshold equation, visibility
Materials characterization

Citation

Newbury, D. (2018), 'High Resolution' Is Often Sought in SEM Imaging, But Establishing Visibility May Be the Challenge: Always Ask "What Might I Be Missing?", Microscopy and Microanalysis, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=925016 (Accessed October 8, 2025)

Issues

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Created August 1, 2018, Updated September 29, 2025
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