Temperature distributions of electron beam-irradiated samples by scanning electron microscopy.

An electron beam (EB) generated by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to irradiate two samples having different thermal conductivities, and the resulting temperatures of the EB-irradiated areas as well as the temperature distributions within the samples were then measured using a thermal camera. These measurements showed overall increases in sample temperatures, as well as revealed temperature rises at the EB-irradiated areas that had little difference with one of the theoretical predictions. Differences between the actual and the predicted temperature measurements were analysed in terms of the accuracy with which parameters could be estimated. The temperature distributions of the samples were measured and, On the basis of the results, it was hypothesized that the temperature differential over an irradiated sample will be inversely correlated with its thermal conductivity.