Minimum necessary adaptations are described that are sufficient for obtaining very low energy electron micrographs (VLEEMs) from commercially available routine scanning electron micrographs (SEMs) with the electrons accelerated to an energy of the order of tens of keV. A cathode lens inserted into the specimen chamber enables one to decelerate electrons in front of the specimen surface to a desired low landing energy, which can be freely varied even down to zero. When a potential slightly more negative than the accelerating voltage is applied, a scanning mirror electron microscopy mode can be effected. The achievable point resolution at very low energies proves to be not too dependent on the objective lens parameters, so that the physical limit of aberrations of the homogeneous field of the cathode lens is nearly attainable. The detection efficiency for the standard Everhart‐Thornley secondary electron detector is discussed, and results for the routine Tesla BS 340 SEM are presented.

The high negative bias of a sample in a scanning electron microscope constitutes the “cathode lens” with a strong electric field just above the sample surface. This mode offers a convenient tool for controlling the landing energy of electrons down to units or even fractions of electronvolts with only slight readjustments of the column. Moreover, the field accelerates and collimates the signal electrons to earthed detectors above and below the sample, thereby assuring high collection efficiency and high amplification of the image signal. One important feature is the ability to acquire the complete emission of the backscattered electrons, including those emitted at high angles with respect to the surface normal. The cathode lens aberrations are proportional to the landing energy of electrons so the spot size becomes nearly constant throughout the full energy scale. At low energies and with their complete angular distribution acquired, the backscattered electron images offer enhanced information about crystalline and electronic structures thanks to contrast mechanisms that are otherwise unavailable. Examples from various areas of materials science are presented.

Summary: The advent of new imaging technologies in Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) using low energy (0–2 keV) electrons has brought about new ways to study materials at the nanoscale. It also brings new challenges in terms of understanding electron transport at these energies. In addition, reduction in energy has brought new contrast mechanisms producing images that are sometimes difficult to interpret. This is increasing the push for simulation tools, in particular for low impact energies of electrons. The use of Monte Carlo calculations to simulate the transport of electrons in materials has been undertaken by many authors for several decades. However, inaccuracies associated with the Monte Carlo technique start to grow as the energy is reduced. This is not simply associated with inaccuracies in the knowledge of the scattering cross‐sections, but is fundamental to the Monte Carlo technique itself. This is because effects due to the wave nature of the electron and the energy band structure of the target above the vacuum energy level become important and these are properties which are difficult to handle using the Monte Carlo method. In this review we briefly describe the new techniques of scanning low energy electron microscopy and then outline the problems and challenges of trying to understand and quantify the signals that are obtained. The effects of charging and spin polarised measurement are also briefly explored. SCANNING 38:802–818, 2016.

The detailed examination of electron scattering in solids is of crucial importance for the theory of solid-state physics, as well as for the development and diagnostics of novel materials, particularly those for micro- and nanoelectronics. Among others, an important parameter of electron scattering is the inelastic mean free path (IMFP) of electrons both in bulk materials and in thin films, including 2D crystals. The amount of IMFP data available is still not sufficient, especially for very slow electrons and for 2D crystals. This situation motivated the present study, which summarizes pilot experiments for graphene on a new device intended to acquire electron energy-loss spectra (EELS) for low landing energies. Thanks to its unique properties, such as electrical conductivity and transparency, graphene is an ideal candidate for study at very low energies in the transmission mode of an electron microscope. The EELS are acquired by means of the very low-energy electron microspectroscopy of 2D crystals, using a dedicated ultra-high vacuum scanning low-energy electron microscope equipped with a time-of-flight (ToF) velocity analyzer. In order to verify our pilot results, we also simulate the EELS by means of density functional theory (DFT) and the many-body perturbation theory. Additional DFT calculations, providing both the total density of states and the band structure, illustrate the graphene loss features. We utilize the experimental EELS data to derive IMFP values using the so-called log-ratio method.

Summary: Commercially available graphene samples are examined by Raman spectroscopy and very low energy scanning transmission electron microscopy. Limited lateral resolution of Raman spectroscopy may produce a Raman spectrum corresponding to a single graphene layer even for flakes that can be identified by very low energy electron microscopy as an aggregate of smaller flakes of various thicknesses. In addition to diagnostics of graphene samples at larger dimensions, their electron transmittance can also be measured at very low energies.