Yes! The electron beam will be pulsed but you can use a continuous detector like a photomultiplier or a CCD to detect signal. The Attolight standard system AND the pulsed system are equipped with a CCD detectors for continuous measurements.

The diameter of our electron probe is < 10 nm on the sample surface. This means that in secondary electron imaging, we can expect a resolution < 10 nm. In cathodoluminescence, the photons do not only come from very near the surface, but are created in the whole electron excitation volume that can have a typical diameter of a few hundreds of nm. Thus in cathodoluminescence mode, it makes no sense to work with an electron beam that has a diameter of 1 nm on the sample surface.

The cryostat consumes approximately 60 litres of liquid Helium in 6 working days. One day corresponds to 8 hours of experimentation at low temperature.

No, it does not. The microscope is covered with a removable laminar flow hood by our service engineers during electron source exchange.

Once installed and calibrated, the light collection system doesn’t need any alignment!

The upgrade is done by our service engineers and can be done in your lab. Basically, the continuous electron gun is replaced by a pulsed electron gun and a time-resolved detector is added to the light detection system.

Yes, it is. The Attolight scanning electron microscope (SEM) works as a standard SEM. You can work with it in the same way you work now on an existing SEM.

You have to choose the Allalin 4027 Chronos that is a fully integrated, time-resolved cathodoluminescence system.

Local carrier lifetime measurement and carrier diffusion measurements

Any material that emits light under electron irradiation and that is compatible with high vacuum. Typically, semiconductors, rocks, glasses, etc….

In the same way a standard scanning electron microscope does.

Yes, it does. We have added additional electrical connectors on the vacuum chamber door so that you can easily connect your custom systems.

Check our technology page for more information about quantitative cathodoluminescence