| Abstract: | No one form of microscopy is ideal for all applications and, in general, significant advances are made by correlating several techniques. In this paper, a scanning optical microscope is discussed which is based on the SEM and is entirely compatible with it. This new hybrid instrument, known as the SOMSEM, has been demonstrated using a converted SEM specimen stage and a standard Cambridge Stereoscan 250 Mk II microscope. The operating principles have been verified, and silicon MOS (metal oxide semiconductor) devices have been successfully imaged using the OBIC (optical beam induced current) mode thus avoiding electron beam damage. Potential applications and future developments are briefly discussed. |
