Introduction to Operation of the XL-30 Scanning Electron Microscope

Tutorial # 1Overview of XL-30 Microscope Control Program

Purpose• Purpose of these tutorials is to enable the

user to understand the basics of OPERATING the XL-30 to obtain Secondary Electron and Back Scattered Electron Images, and to obtain an Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrum.

• Very little theory is given.• If the user’s requirements demand further

instruction, he or she should seek further formal instruction.

Overview

Windows 3.1

• The operating program runs under Windows 3.1, which you may not be familiar with.

• If the instrument is on when you start, Windows 3.1 should be running. If it is not, click HERE for additional instructions.

XL-30 Operation Program

• Find the XL 30Control window in the Program Manager

• Click the icon that is labeled“Microscope Control”

Microscope Control

Pages

• The right side of the control screen holds various pages.

• WHAT page is noted in the upper right corner.

• This one is the “Settings” page.

Settings Page

• The Settings Page contains three items with drop-down tabs:– Vacuum– Beam– Video

Settings – Beam

• You should not need to use this subpage.

• It is used for saturating the filament and some other adjustments.

• Do not adjust FiL Current without assistance.

Settings - Vacuum

• You should not use the “ShutDown” or change the purge time.

Settings – Video

• ACB = Auto Contrast & Bright

• Videoscope = intensity profile

• Histogram = grey levels of complete image.

• Measurement = (F7) brings up X, Y measurement tool.

Imaging

• Imaging Page has two dropdowns:– Imaging– Video

• Video has already been described. It is the same dropdown that is on the Settings Page.

Imaging – Imaging

• Imaging dropdown contains adjustments for:– Magnification– Scan rotation– Stigmation (hold shift +

right click mouse)– Tilt correction– Split screen viewing

Image Manipulation

• Nobody uses this.• Very basic and not user-

friendly way to add text and basic image enhancement.

Survey

• We don’t have a motorized stage on this instrument so this page is pretty-much worthless.

Adjustments

• Stay out of this.

4 Quadrants

• The idea here is to be able to view several different signals at the same time. Our instrument has SE and BE detectors that can be viewed here. But why not just use the split screen mode in “Imaging”?

Menu Bar Functions

• Next we take a quick look at the Menu Bar and the various options.

Menu Bar – Image!

• Clicking Image! will bring up a box that asks you if you are sure you want to do this.

• The idea here is to provide a fast one button operation to an INITIAL IMAGE. (sometimes it works)

Menu Bar – Magn.

• Allows for a selection of pre-defined magnification settings.

• Magnification may also be changed by using the + and – on the keypad.

Menu Bar – Magn. 2

• Selecting CHANGE on the magnification menu allows new presets to be entered into the list.

Menu Bar – Magn. 3

• Selecting “Device Display” adjust the scale bar for the desired output.

• This should be at “Display”

Menu Bar – Beam

• Preset accelerating voltage can be selected.

• Spot size (beam current) can be selected.

Menu Bar – Beam 2

• Selecting “Change” on the Beam menu allows the user to input desired accelerating voltages.

Menu Bar – Scan• Scan speed selection• Full Frame – normal operation;• Sel[ected] area, reduced area

generally at a faster refresh rate.• Hor[izonatal] line • Spot• Most of the above have icon

buttons that bring up the desired utility.

Menu Bar – Scan

• Normally this is not changed, but you can change the preset speeds and pixel density.

• Please reset when finished.

Menu Bar – Detectors

• There are two detectors to choose from:– Secondary Electron – Backscattered Electron.

Menu Bar – Detectors 2

• If you go to “Change” on the detector dropdown menu you can change the voltage on the faraday cage in front of the secondary electron detector.

Menu Bar - Filter

• There are various ways to view an image:– Live is the signal as received.

But often the image is clearer if you average some frames together, especially at a fast raster speed.

– You can also integrate frames to increase signal to noise.

– Freeze – stops the scan

Menu – Bar Filter 2

• When you click “change” on the filter dropdown, a listing of options for the various filtering is shown.

• You can change the options to suit your need.

Menu – In/Out

• The In/Out Menu contains some useful items and others that have no relevance.

• We will take a quick look at each.

Menu – In/Out 2

• From the In/Out Image selection you can load and save files.

• Transfer you data to the Dell PC when you have finished you session. (see Link Maven instructions).

Menu – In/Out 3

• Parameters– You can store

microscope settings in “VCT” files. These files have:• Accelerating voltage,• spot size• magnification• stigmator settings• etc.

• Nobody uses this.

Menu – In/Out 4• This is pretty useful

especially if you want to label and image.

• With the options here you can turn on/off what is displayed on the data label when the image is displayed.

• The options are self-explanitory.

Menu In/Out 5

• Generates a gray scale image across the screen. Used to calibrate a camera or video printer, but as we use neither.

Menu In/Out 6

• You really don’t need to change anything here, and if you do it will probably mess up something.

Icons

• Icons – quick access to useful functions

Next Tutorial

• The next tutorial will outline the general procedure for obtaining a secondary electron image.