Dear All,
Could you please help me with improving the quality of my SEM images? An example image is attached. It has obtained by a basic Jeol SEM microscope with a tungsten filament. I have tried imageJ software as I do with TEM images, but it did not make progress. The attached image is unfortunately one of my best shots. As I do not have access to an FIG SEM equipment, I need to make the best possible use of the one I have. On the other hand, the SEM images with that low quality may not be publishable.
Without Wax, Ahmed
Dear Ahmed, I hope you are well, I think it is better if you use MATLAB image processing and use the following functions: imadjust() to increase the contrast. You can also use imfilter() or conv2() to sharpen the edges with the kernel
Dear Ahmed, I hope you are well, I think it is better if you use MATLAB image processing and use the following functions: imadjust() to increase the contrast. You can also use imfilter() or conv2() to sharpen the edges with the kernel
You can also read this article
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/microscopy-today/article/software-approach-to-improving-sem-resolution-image-quality-and-productivity/B5D4C612EC782E4EC24871894A976CA3/core-reader
Dear Ahmed, ImageJ can help to improve the image cuality and Mostafa´s suggestions are also pretty good too, in fact the article he recommends is clear and very useful (thanks Mostafa!). Let me add that we always can use these postprocessing techniques, but the results will be better if the images we feed are the best possible. So my advice is to tweak the microscope´s knobs and parameters to try to make fine adjustements on the image quality. You can control the contrast directly in the SEM controls and also the bright and sometimes you have to deal with astigmatism (something you can be aware of by looking to objects that should be spherical and appear as rods, adjusting the knobs you should get the round shape and this will be very helpful to focus properly your sample.
Resolution also depends on your sample and its preparation. If you are dealing with a non-conductive sample, you should coat it with a thin metallic layer (gold, carbon, iridium, palladium...).
As with an optical microscope, you must find the right working distance, and the power of your beam. From your image I can see that you take it with a secondary electron detector and 10 kV at a working distance of 10mm with a magnification of x10000. Those parameters depend on the microscope, in my experience 10mm of working distance could be too much and may be (it depends on the sample) 10kV could be not the best power for your sample.
Apparently you have some saturation in the middle of the image (the whitest parts), so you can play with the contrast or well decreasing the voltage at 5 or 3kV (something you can adjust in the control software of your SEM. Be careful, if you are not sure ask to a technician or a experienced user!)
Hope it helps!
Manuel Gómez , Dear prof Manuel, thank you so much for your nice words
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