Computer-Aided Imaging

This laboratory is concerned with use of the digital computer to aid in the acquisition, display, and interpretation of various digital images obtained with the scanning electron microscope, e.g., secondary electron, backscattered electron, x-ray, etc. We will be concerned with all aspects of SEM imaging from the generation of the signal, when the electron beam interacts with the specimen surface, to the perception and interpretation of this information in the mind of the observer. Indeed, we will view all steps involved as an information channel which has certain imperfections and nonlinearities that must be examined. This aspect of microscopy is a rapidly developing area and consequently it is difficult to condense all of the important concepts into a single laboratory exercise. Nevertheless, the topics covered in the following experiments should give a sense of the power of this new tool for the microscopist. For more details see ASEMXM, Chapter 5, and references [1–4] at the end of the laboratory.