Conducting, semiconducting and insulating objects observed by low-energy electron holography

• Published in: Ultramicroscopy Vol. 92; no. 3; pp. 133 - 142
• Main Authors: Bardon, J, Degiovanni, A, Georges, V, Morin, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.08.2002; Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Subjects: Condensed Matter; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Electron diffraction and scattering; Electron holography; Engineering Sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Holography; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Low-energy electron microscopy; Physics; Reconstruction; Scanning probe microscopes, components and techniques; Scanning tunneling microscopes; Signal and Image processing; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; 68.37.Nq Subject index terms: 015, 003; Reconstruction; Low-energy electron microscopy; Holography; 61.14.Nm; Electric conductors; Nanometer scale; Scanning electron microscopy; Semiconductor materials; Electric insulating material; Experimental study; Comparative study; Image reconstruction; Electron holography
• ISSN: 0304-3991; 1879-2723
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3991(02)00126-2

To demonstrate the potential of low energy in line projection holography, we study the reconstruction of the experimental holograms of three electrically different objects: a conducting, a semiconducting and an insulating object. The reconstructions of these holograms provide meaningful results for a large range of magnification of the object. The comparison between the reconstructed images and the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs of the same objects shows that the shapes and the dimensions of the reconstructed objects are identical to those obtained by conventional SEM. So, the simple assumptions needed to the reconstruction are justified. The reconstructions show a 2 nm resolution and appear superior than the best obtained SEM micrographs, when available. We also show some limitations of the reconstruction process. We point out that both numerical artifacts and experimental conditions are responsible for these limitations.