Optics and design of the fringe field monochromator for a Schottky field emission gun

For the improvement of high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy a new electron source monochromator, based on the Wien filter principle, is presented. In the fringe field monochromator the electric and magnetic filter fields are tightly enclosed by field clamps to satisfy the Wien condition, E = vB. The whole monochromator including the 150 nm energy selection slits (Nanoslits) is positioned in the gun area. Its total length is only 42 mm. Using electron trajectory simulation through the filter fields the dispersion and aberrations are determined. The parasitic astigmatism of the gun lens needs to be corrected using an electrostatic quadrupole field incorporated in the filter. Estimations of the influence of filter electrode misalignment show that at least six filter electrodes must be used to loosen the alignment demands sufficiently. Using theoretical estimations of the Coulomb interaction the final energy resolution, beam brightness and current are predicted. For a Schottky field emission electron gun with typical brightness of 10(8) A/sr m(2) V the monochromator is expected to produce a 50 meV 1 nA beam with a brightness of 10(7). (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V.