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Thermo Scientific Apreo SEM

Thermo Scientific Apreo SEM

 

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iLab Name: Thermo Scientific Apreo S
iLab Kiosk: Purdue Electron Microscopy Center Kiosk
FIC: Zhongxia Shang
Owner: Zhongxia Shang
Location: Cleanroom - N Bay
Maximum Wafer Size: 6"/150 mm

 

 

 

Overview

General Description

The most versatile high-performance SEM. The Thermo Scientific™ Apreo scanning electron microscope's (SEM) revolutionary compound lens design combines electrostatic and magnetic immersion technology to yield unprecedented resolution and signal selection. The Apreo SEM benefits from the unique in-lens backscatter detection, which provides excellent materials contrast, even at tilt, short working distance, or on sensitive samples.

Electron optics

  • High-resolution field emission SEM column with: 

    • High-stability Schottky field emission gun to provide stable high-resolution analytical currents 

    • Compound final lens: a combined electrostatic, field-free magnetic and immersion magnetic objective lens* 

    • 60° objective lens geometry: allows tilting larger samples 

  • Automated heated apertures to ensure cleanliness and touch free aperture changes 

  • Beam deceleration with stage bias from -4000 V to +600 V 

Detectors 

  • Out of lens detectors 

               - ETD (BSE and SE)

- ABS/CBS (insertable BSE)

  • In lens detectors 

               - T1 (BSE), T2 (SE) and T3 (BSE and SE) 

Electron Beam Resolution at optimum WD

  • 30 kV - 0.8 nm

  • 15 kV - 0.7 nm

  • 1 kV - 1.0 nm

Optimal Working Distance

10 mm - Use with ETD in Standard; Initial working distance (Z direction after focusing and linking the sample point of interest at the 10 mm mark)

5 mm - Optimal working distance for T-detectors in Optiplan (Z direction after focusing and linking the sample point of interest at the 10 mm mark)

2 mm - Best working distance for T-detectors in Optiplan (Z direction after focusing and linking the sample point of interest at the 10 mm mark)

NOTE: Always observe your sample, move the stage up from home position towards the 10 mm mark. Focus and link the HIGHEST point of your sample at the 10 mm mark. If you don’t understand linking Z and the relationship between working distance and stage position, watch the Linking Z to WD in SEM video on the PEMC website.

Electron beam parameter space

  • Compound Final lens

  • Beam current range: 1 pA to 400 nA 

  • Accelerating voltage range: 200 V–30 kV 

  • Landing energy range: 20 eV–30 keV

Stage and sample

  • Type - Eucentric goniometer stage, 5-axes motorized 

  • XY range - 110 × 110 mm

  • Z range - 65 mm 

  • Rotation - n × 360°

  • Tilt -15° / +90° 

  • Max. sample height - Clearance 60 mm to eucentric point 

  • Max. sample weight - 500 g in any stage position (up to 2 kg at 0° tilt) 

  • Max. sample size - 122 mm diameter with full X,Y, rotation (larger samples possible with limited stage travel or rotation)

Apreo Data Sheet

Sample Requirements and Preparation

Samples should be conductive to optimize sample imaging. With conductive samples features of 10nm can be observed with 5kV. Nonconductive samples can still be imaged, but not small features, limiting smallest resolutions to hundreds of nm, even microns, at low beam voltages (1-5kV). Non-conductive samples can become conductive if they are coated with Carbon, Au-Pd, or Pt.

Standard Operating Procedure

QUICK GUIDE (Complete Guide in computer desktop)

  1. Start your session in iLab.

  2. Log on to the SEM software

  3. Vent system (wait ~3 minutes)

  4. Load sample on Multipurpose Stub holder (MSH)

    1. Avoid stubs with dimensions that exceed the MSH area.

  5. Pump system (wait ~3 minutes)

  6. Take Nav Cam Picture

    1. Stage Menu > Take Nav-Cam Photo

  7. Define Mode and Detector as “Standard” and “ETD”

  8. Watch while moving stage holder up slowly until the highest point of the sample is in line with the 10mm marker on the CCD image.

    1. Use scroll wheel of mouse or move in 10mm steps the Z-direction of the stage.

  9. Turn Beam ON

  10. Initial Voltage 5kV

  11. Find area of interest. Adjust Magnification, Focus, correct astigmatism, and Link Z (If you need help with this, watch this video: Linking Z to WD in SEM.)

  12. Optimize Beam Voltage and Beam Current. (See this page for guidance: Optimizing SEM Parameters)

  13. If higher magnification is required, you can switch detectors to T1 or T2 in Optiplan mode and operate at 2-5mm working distance.

  14. Capture images.

  15. Turn Beam Off

  16. Vent system (wait 3 minutes)

  17. Unload sample(s).

  18. Pump system (wait 3 minutes).

 

If needed, ask a member of PEMC staff for help. Despite the SEM being in the cleanroom, the PEMC staff can help assist you remotely. Additional training supplemental material is constantly being added to the PEMC website here: Training Extras.

 

Training Extras

Training Manual

Questions & Troubleshooting

Any questions? Please contact the Electron Microscopy Staff via email or Teams message. Any comments that are left on this wiki page are very unlikely to be seen by the relevant staff.

 

References

  • Inkson, B. J. "Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for materials characterization." Materials characterization using nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods. Woodhead Publishing, 2016. 17-43.

  • Sharma, Surender Kumar, et al., eds. Handbook of Materials Characterization. Springer International Publishing, 2018.

  • Reimer, Ludwig. Scanning electron microscopy: physics of image formation and microanalysis. Vol. 45. Springer, 2013.

 

Manufacturer Website