ATMOSPHERIC SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY USING SILICON-NITRIDE THIN-FILM WINDOWS

We report preliminary results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging with submicron resolution at atmospheric pressure using silicon nitride windows to separate the atmosphere from the electron optics. The edge response of the current system is 0.25-mu-m through 75 nm windows at 15-mu-m air path length. We discuss the merits of windowed atmospheric SEM systems.