Communication—Direct Imaging of Irradiation Damage in Semiconductors by Low-Energy SEM

The performance of the present-day Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) extends far beyond delivering electronic images of the surface topography. One of the most noticeable achievements of the technique was recognition of p-and n-type conductive channels on the semiconductor surface. Here, we report on the possibility of visualization of highly resistive layers produced by ion irradiation. The presented high-resolution imaging of damage-induced insulating layers was made possible through application of low energy of the primary beam (1 keV), optimization of the instrument parameters and effective separation of the so-called SE1 vs. SE2 secondary electrons. (C) 2017 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.