Imaging of carbon nanotubes with tin-palladium particles using STEM detector in a FE-SEM

Upgraded FE-SEM with STEM detector permits the observation and imaging of thin materials such as carbon nanotubes by transmitted electrons directly in a FE-SEM. It is important to know the resolution of transmitted electrons mode compared to the classical secondary electrons mode. The resolution was measured with SMART macro. This routine permits to quickly determine resolution of a micrograph, based on fast Fourier transform analysis. An optimum working distance value was found around 6 mm for an accelerating voltage equal to 10 keV. In addition to this, it was shown that the resolution obtained in bright field and secondary electron images at 15 keV had appreciatively the same resolution. Also, it was shown that images in dark field mode have a poorer resolution compared with bright field transmitted electrons and secondary electrons images. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.