Application of Secondary Electron Composition Contrast Imaging Method in Microstructure Studies on Cathode Materials of TWT

The study of the secondary electron composition contrast imaging method have been developed with a conventional scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with ultra-thin window energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). On the basis of the study of the principle of secondary electron emission, secondary electron composition contrast imaging method has been investigated, and the ranges of its application were also discussed. This method was applied in the microstructure studies on cathode materials of TWT (traveling wave tube). The results showed that, compared with backscattered electron image, the secondary electron image could also reveal composition contrast well in certain conditions. Furthermore, the resolution of secondary electron composition contrast image is higher. In some cases, the secondary electron image could distinguish impurities which might bring wrong results. In the microstructure studies on cathode materials of TWT, compared with backscattered electron image, secondary electron composition contrast imaging method is reasonable and practicable.

Analysis on Resistive Switching of Resistive Random Access Memory Using Visualization Technique of Data Storage Area with Secondary Electron Image

Both a low and a high resistance stateｓ which were written by the voltage application in a local region of NiO/Pt films by using conducting atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) were observed by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electron probe micro analysis (EPMA). The writing regions are distinguishable as dark areas in a secondary electron image and thus can be specified without using complicated sample fabrication process to narrow down the writing regions such as the photolithography technique. In addition, the writing regions were analyzed by using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping. No difference between the inside and outside of the writing regions is observed for all the mapped elements including C and Rh. Here, C and Rh are the most probable candidates for contamination which affect the secondary electron image. Therefore, our results suggested that the observed change in the contrast of the secondary electron image is related to the intrinsic change in the electronic state of the NiO film and a secondary electron yield is correlated to the physical properties of the film.

Analysis on Resistance Change Mechanism of NiO-ReRAM Using Visualization Technique of Data Storage Area With Secondary Electron Image

Both a low resistance state and a high resistance state which were written by the voltage application in a local region of NiO/Pt films by using conducting atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) were observed by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electron probe micro analysis (EPMA). The writing regions are distinguishable as dark areas in a secondary electron image and thus can be specified without using complicated sample fabrication process to narrow down the writing regions such as the photolithography technique. In addition, the writing regions were analyzed by using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping. No difference between the inside and outside of the writing regions is observed for all the mapped elements including C and Rh. Here, C and Rh are the most probable candidates for contamination which affect the secondary electron image. Therefore, our results suggested that the observed change in the contrast of the second electron image is related to the intrinsic change in the electronic state of the NiO film and a secondary electron yield is correlated to the physical properties of the film.