Implementation of an inexpensive cathodoluminescence and electron beam induced current image generator coupled to a scanning electron microscope

Abstract

In this work, implementation of a novelty cathodoluminescence and electron beam induced current image generator system for do in situ experiments in a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is presented. The equipment is composed by one mechatronic system (MS) with interchangeable probes and digitalization system programed with Labview. Porous silicon and Eu2(WO4)3 microparticles were characterized in cathodoluminescense mode with luminescence peaks centered at 410 and 613 nm, respectively. For CL imaging, the emission signal is collected through a probe of nine optical fibers and transduced to an electrical signal via a photomultiplier tube (PMT). In other way, the configuration in EBIC mode was tested with commercial silicon monocrystalline solar cell to determine internal defects using a current mapping. However for EBIC imaging, the current is collected by two electrodes connected to a picoammeter synchronized with the electron beam. CL and EBIC images are compared with SE images and chemical elemental mapping images to correlate the emission and defects regions of the sample.