STEM-in-SEM: A Re-Emerging Material Measurement Approach

Published

June 1, 2022

Author(s)

Bob R. Keller, Benjamin Caplins, Jason Holm

Abstract

Scanning transmission electron microscopy performed in a scanning electron microscope (STEM-in-SEM) is undergoing a striking resurgence, with continuing developments in methodology and hardware, as well as applications to a wide range of materials in diverse areas of science and technology. This approach to material measurements provides an attractive complement to the higher-energy, higher-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) based approach to STEM, with strengths stemming from factors such as low energy effects on electron scattering and instrument accessibility. While STEM-in-SEM is indeed re-emerging, its foundations include a history dating to the 1930s. In this contribution, we briefly review that history, the differences in SEM- and TEM-based methodologies due to the order-of-magnitude difference in incident beam energies, and some recent STEM-in-SEM advances enabled by detectors with high angular selectivity.

Citation

Microscopy and Analysis

Volume

60

Issue

3

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

STEM-in-SEM, transmission scanning electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, low-energy STEM, material characterization

Citation

Keller, B. , Caplins, B. and Holm, J. (2022), STEM-in-SEM: A Re-Emerging Material Measurement Approach, Microscopy and Analysis, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=934564 (Accessed May 12, 2026)

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