Radiant energy – Inspection of solids or liquids by charged particles – Electron probe type
Patent
1983-05-02
1985-12-24
Smith, Alfred E.
Radiant energy
Inspection of solids or liquids by charged particles
Electron probe type
H01J 37256
Patent
active
045608725
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for image formation.
It is known to construct coloured images in which different regions of the image are coloured in accordance with a colour coding in such a fashion that variations in a physical variable are represented by different colours in the image. For example, in astronomy, images of celestial objects are frequently coloured such that regions in the image at which a physical variable such as gas velocity, radiation intensity or the like exhibits particular common characteristics, such as common magnitude, are delineated by different colours as compared to regions having other particular characteristics. Whilst such coloured images convey information in a readily assimilatable fashion, the information content is generally no greater than would be conveyable had the colours not been used and the image simply coded monochromatically such as by different shading patterns. This is in contrast to the images normally perceived by the eye in nature where, because of the additively mixed light impressions perceived, a variety of subtle lighting effects can be differentiated, which impressions can hardly be adequately represented monochromatically. This arises, of course, because a coloured image as perceived by the eye can be considered as being made up of three simultaneously perceived images each of a separate primary colour and the eye is capable of differentiating regions in the image as between which the relative proportions of the three primary colours vary. An object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for image formation in which fuller advantage is taken of this colour differentiating ability of the eye. Thus, the invention broadly contemplates methods and apparatus for image formation wherein three image signals are generated by detecting signals from an object representing three different characteristics of the object not being colours of the object, said image signals being used to form a colour image of the object in which the relative intensities of three image colours at each location in the image are representative of the prevailing relationship between said three characteristics at a corresponding location on said object.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of image formation wherein a sample is scanned by use of the scanning electron microscope to cause an electron beam to be incident on a sample, and three image signals are generated by respectively detecting at least three different effects of such incidence, said image signals being used to form a colour image of said sample in which the relative intensities of three image colours at each location in the image are representative of the prevailing relationship between said three effects at a corresponding location on the said sample.
The invention still further provides apparatus for image formation comprising a scanning electron microscope having means for directing an electron beam to be incident on and scan an object, detector means for generating three image signals by respectively detecting at least three different effects of said incidence and means for generating from said image signals a colour image of said sample in which the relative intensities of three image colours at each location in the image are representative of the prevailing relationship between said three effects at a corresponding location on said sample.
In a preferred embodiment the said three effects may be effects of secondary electron (SE) emission having energies at two different respective energy bands and of emission of backscattered electrons (BSE). The three colours may represent intensities of the respective said emissions.
The actual production of the image from the image signals may be effected by using the image signals corresponding to the respective said effects each in turn to form three respective monochromatic images by use of a visual display device and combining those monochromatic images photographically such as by photographing the
REFERENCES:
patent: 3628014 (1971-12-01), Grubic
patent: 3812288 (1974-05-01), Walsh et al.
patent: 4041311 (1977-08-01), Martin
Berman Jack I.
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
Smith Alfred E.
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