New Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope and Observation of Live Nature

Abstract

We review a non-commercial environmental scanning electron microscope AQUASEM II that have been developed in Institute of Scientific Instruments of the ASCR, Czech Republic. AQUASEM II is equipped with four electron detectors, which are a YAG:Ce³⁺ scintillation single crystal detector with high efficiency for backscattered electrons and (i) a newly patented ionization secondary electron detector with electrostatic separator (ISEDS), (ii) an ionization secondary electron detector and (iii) a newly designed scintillation secondary electron detector for SEM and ESEM. AQUASEM II, which is equipped with a specially designed differentially pumping and hydration system for the specimen chamber as well as the electron signal detection system of four detectors, have allowed us to perform in-situ observation or in-situ dynamical observation of samples such as semiconductors in problematic conditions and live biological samples.