Electron Beam Damage to Specimens

The incidence ofElectron beam damage electron waves in TEM and STEM causes the transmission of electronsTransmission of electrons (= electric current) with a high energy larger than 100 keV. Particularly, heating of specimens by the Joule heatJoule heat, knock-onKnock-on at an atomic nucleus due to the momentum transfer from moving electronsMomentum transfer from moving electrons, and bond breakingBond breaking due to electronic excitation are occurred. As a result, atomistic structuresAtomistic structures are changed, which is named electron irradiation effectsIrradiation effects or damages.