Direct Detectors for Electron Microscopy

There is interest in improving the detectors used to capture images in transmission electron microscopy. Detectors with an improved modulation transfer function at high spatial frequencies allow for higher resolution in images at lower magnification, which leads to an increased effective field of view. Detectors with improved detective quantum efficiency are important for low dose applications. One way in which these performance enhancements can be achieved is through direct detection, where primary electrons are converted directly into suitable electrical signals by the detector rather than relying on an indirect electron to photon conversion before detection. In this paper we present the characterisation of detector performance for a number of different direct detection technologies, and compare these technologies to traditional indirect detectors. Overall our results show that direct detection enables a significant improvement in all aspects of detector performance.