LiteScope™

Atomic Force Microscope designed for easy integration into the Scanning Electron Microscopes. The combination of complementary AFM and SEM techniques enables you to use the advantages of both commonly used microscopy techniques.

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LiteScope™: Correlative microscopy

Correlative Microscopy

A correlative microscopy is an approach that benefits from the imaging of the same object by two different techniques.

With the ever-increasing demand for more precise imaging, the pressure on the development of new technologies in microscopy is constantly growing. The term correlative microscopy refers to a group of methods engaging multiple different imaging techniques and correlating their data, which leads to surprising results and scientific discoveries.

The correlation of images from two microscopes can be limited by the difficult localization of the region of interest or incompatibility of data acquired by different instruments under different conditions.

Correlative Probe and Electron Microscopy

The next step of correlative imaging

The Correlative Probe and Electron Microscopy, shortly CPEM, is a novel method of multidimensional correlative imaging, enabling simultaneous acquisition of data of the SEM and AFM, that can be easily correlated into a 3D image. It eliminates the need for double localization of the region of interest, enables highly precise imaging and alignment, and advanced data correlation.

Correlative Probe and Electron Microscopy (CPEM) has been developed for the application using Correlative Imaging (patented) and brings the solution, which synchronizes:

the scanned area
resolution and image distortion
and enables to correlate both acquired AFM and SEM images in a realtime

CPEM principle

CPEM enables simultaneous detection and acquisition of AFM and SEM signals at the same time and in the same place.

How does it work?

During scanning, the electron beam points close to the AFM tip with a constant offset. They both remain static, while the sample is moving with LiteScope´s piezo scanner. This way, data from AFM and SEM microscopes can be acquired at the same time, in the same place, and under the same conditions.

Key CPEM advantages

CPEM provides multidimensional correlation imaging – images from a Scanning Electron Microscope are extended into 3D.
Using CPEM, it is possible to quickly and accurately distinguish the topographic and the material contrast in SEM images.
CPEM correlates, in an appropriate fashion, two or more SEM signals with the measured topography such as SE, BSE, EBIC, etc.
CPEM makes it possible to measure AFM and SEM simultaneously under the same specimen conditions, at the same measurement speed, etc.
The combined AFM and SEM scanning system enables an accurate image correlation, elimination of drift and other inaccuracies.

The only true correlative microscopy

CPEM enables sample analysis in a way that was difficult or impossible by the two imaging techniques separately and brings new possibilities for advanced correlative imaging in a variety of fields such as Material Science, Nanotechnology, Semiconductors, Life Sciences, and many more.