One of my colleagues is working on the synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticle. We got a surprising issue in SEM analysis. When we start SEM imaging the sample got disappear within few second while our sample is totally inorganic. We tried SEM analysis for 6 times for this sample, but we found the same issue.
What reason can be for this?
It's difficult to discuss imaging without seeing the image. The most common answer is "charging". Was your specimen coated with conductive material? Was it properly grounded?
I will share the images after Monday. I deposited the particle of ferric oxide on Si wafer and a film of Au was coated by Sputtering before SEM analysis.
Dear Muhammad
You said" I deposited the particle of ferric oxide on Si wafer and a film of Au was coated by Sputtering before SEM analysis". That all is fine.
My question what was the size range of the ferric oxide particle in a nanometer scale?. Is the size range of the particle spatially resolvable by the SEM. In other words, is the SEM voltage, i.e., 30K for example, capable to spatially resolve the size of the particle.
Dear Khaled J. Habib
I calculated the average particle size by using particle shape analyzer. The range of particle distribution size was between 50 nm to 200 nm.
Dear Muhammad
Again, is the SEM voltage, i.e., 30K for example, capable to spatially resolve the size of the particle, i.e., 50-200 nm.
It seems that the SEM images of the particle fall within the spatial resolution of the SEM, 0.4 nm obtained at 30 kV in Hitachi S-5500.
Therefore, be sure that there is no charging of the sample despite a film of Au was coated by Sputtering before SEM analysis.
Dear Khaled J. Habib , it was said already that particles were measured, hence they were resolved. And why so much attention to the accelerating voltage? Too high voltage could be a poor choice for observing particles, especially big ones, like 200 nm.
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