Unwin has used a metallized non-conducting thread in the back focal plane of the objective lens that stops out a portion of the unscattered beam, takes on a localized positive charge and thus produces an additional phase shift to give a different transfer function of the lens. Under the particular conditions Unwin used, the phase contrast image was shifted to bright phase contrast for optimum focus.We have investigated the characteristics of this type of electrostatic phase plate, both analytically and experimentally, as functions of the magnitude of charge and defocus. Phase plates have been constructed by using Wollaston wire to mount 0.25μ diameter platinum wires across apertures ranging from 50 to 200μ diameter and vapor depositing SiO and gold on the mounted wires to give them the desired charging characteristics. The net charge was varied by adjusting only the bias on the Wehnelt shield of the gun, and hence the beam currents and effective size of the source.
High-Q photonic chip-based temporal phase plates for electron microscopy