Systems and methods for in situ high temperature X-ray spectroscopy in electron microscopes
In some embodiments, a system for collecting information from a sample includes a sample stage and one or more signal detectors. The sample stage includes a heating element, and the heating element is capable of heating at least a portion of the sample stage to at least 100 Celsius. The one or more signal detectors has a detection material with a silicon nitride window positioned between the detection material and the sample stage.
1. A system for collecting information from a sample, the system including:
a sample stage having a heating element therein, the heating element configured to heat at least a portion of the sample stage to at least 100 Celsius (° C.); and
one or more signal detectors, the one or more signal detectors having a silicon nitride window positioned between the sample stage and a detection material, the silicon nitride window having a reflective coating positioned thereon.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reflective coating is at least 85% reflective between 550 nanometers (nm) and 6 micrometers (μm).
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reflective coating is at least 85% reflective between 200 nm and 1 μm.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more signal detectors includes an electron trap.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more signal detectors is a silicon drift detector.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more signal detectors includes a compound semiconductor X-ray detection material.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reflective coating includes aluminum.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reflective coating includes gold.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the silicon nitride window is positioned less than 50 mm from a portion of the sample stage.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heating element is configured to heat at least a portion of the sample stage to at least 1000° C.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reflective coating has a thickness greater than 500 Angstroms.
12. A method for collecting information from a sample, the method including:
positioning a sample in a chamber of a data collection system;
heating the sample to at least 100° C.;
directing an energy beam at the sample;
emitting secondary X-rays from the sample based at least partially on the energy beam;
emitting photons from the sample after heating;
detecting the secondary X-rays with a signal detector; and
reflecting at least a portion of the photons with a reflective coating on a silicon nitride window of the signal detector.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein heating the sample includes increasing a temperature of a sample stage to at least 1000° C.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the sample stage includes a resistive heating element.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein positioning the sample in a chamber includes positioning the sample less than 50 mm from the silicon nitride window.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein reflecting a portion of the photons includes reflecting at least 85% of the photons.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the reflective coating includes aluminum.
18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising measuring an energy of the secondary X-rays.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising reporting the energy of the secondary X-rays to a user.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the energy beam is an electron beam.