Direct electron detectors for electron microscopy

Some of the design principles and potential applications of direct-detection detectors for image recording and storage in electron microscopy (EM) are discussed. The major direct-detection detector technologies include hybrid pixel detectors (HPD) and monolithic active pixel sensors (MAPS). HPDs use separate pixellated detector and readout electronics chips and are able to acquire data without adding any noise. The design process of MAPS simplifies the design process and allows the integration of detector and readout on the same chip. Both detectors are based on the latest complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) design technologies, with significant potential to be used in EM applications. It is also found that the significance of direct-detection detectors have increased with growing application of EM for extensive data collection.