Unity - A Revolutionary New Imaging Technique

A new detector named Unity has been introduced by Oxford Instruments which delivers a revolutionary new imaging technique forthe Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).

Unity isthe world’s first Backscattered Electron and X-Ray (BEX) Imaging detector. It smoothly integrates backscattered electron and X-Ray signals to provide quick high-definition color images fitted with elemental data as users navigate around their sample.

Based on a revolutionary design, including both backscattered electron and X-Ray sensors within the same sensor package, Unity is situated directly below the pole piece and has been designed to maximise signal collection,guaranteeing use at normal imaging speed and operating conditions, making imaging elementary.

The high-speed BEX data collection of Unity makes it simpler than ever before to image and examine a full sample in minutes, altering the way SEM is utilized.

From Instinct to Insight

Up to now, examining a sample in an electron microscope has been highly dependent on instinct. Normal sample analysis starts with a greyscale image from a secondary or backscattered electron detector, navigating around the sample while trying to assess where the most productive areas for detailed analysis might be.

Acquisition settings are next adjusted to provide optimal conditions for EDS analysis, and only once this is performed do the results confirm whether our instincts were correct. It may be necessary to repeat this process numerous times before any meaningful outputs are produced, and even more to fully understand the sample.

Unity eliminates the guesswork by offering imagesrich in usefulelemental and topographic detail.

Why Unity?

The World’s First

The Unity detector achieves its power and speed from its unique design, integrating two kinds of sensors within one detector head situated under the microscope pole-piece.

Dual Sensors

Like conventional imaging detectors, Unity consists of backscattered electron (BSE) sensors that offer information on the sample’s density; these sensors show the different phases inside a sample, the brightness of which directly relates to the atomic number.

Unlike normal imaging detectors, Unity has X-Ray sensors that gather characteristic X-Ray signals which carry elemental data and enable it to instantly produce a color image. Furthermore, the signals from both sensor types are combined to offer a high-resolution sample image that is easy to interpret.

Video Credit: Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis

By providing such images immediately, much of the doubt and guesswork is eliminated from the sample analysis, enabling microscopists to navigate their sample confidently and materially enhancing the analysis workflow.

Image Credit: Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis

Designed for Daily Imaging

Functioning at low beam currents, the Unity BEX imaging system provides X-Ray colored electron images across an extensive range of operating conditions enabling users to use it in a similar way they would use a conventional imaging detector:

Flexible Working Distance

The novel operating position for the X-Ray sensors means consistant chemical data can be obtained throughout an extensive range of Working Distances (WD).

Image Credit: Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis

Topography is No Problem

The two Unity X-Ray sensors offer data from tricky sample topography like deep troughs, which would generally lead to a loss of signal due to shadowing. The two BSE sensors can be configured to topography mode, enabling the resultant images to highlight sample topography rather than sample density whenever required.

Image Credit: Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis

Wide Field of View

The Unity sensor head is engineered with a huge aperture diameter which enables the microscopist to fully exploit wide field modes, such as fish-eye, aiding in the delivery of whole sample analysis at the macro level along with high-resolution imaging.

Image Credit: Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis

Variable Pressure Mode

Unity is developed to function in variable pressure mode,allowing BEX imaging of non-conductive samples.

Image Credit: Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis

High-Performance BSE Sensors

Unity BSE sensors are custom and uniquely shaped to optimize signal collection and Peltier cooled for improved sensitivity, leading to a high-performance BSE detector.

Image Credit: Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis

Results Users Can Rely on

Unity is based on technology and expertise developed over decades of making best-in-class X-Ray detectors. Combined with the AZtec software platform, the Unity detector uses the Tru-Q technology, high throughput X4 electronics, and AZtec Live Chemical Imaging which guarantee the sample imaging is instant and truly precise.

Operating Position

While BSE imaging detectors are generally located directly beneath the pole piece, X-Ray detection has normally been performed with EDS detectors at a greater distance from the sample and a lower elevation angle.

With the Unity detector head below the pole piece, the X-Ray sensors benefit from a very wide collection angle which offers a high signal at the same modest beam currents and dwell times that have been utilized for BSE imaging.

With BEX imaging. Image Credit: Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis

With traditional imaging. Image Credit: Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis

Rapid Effortless Navigation

Unity allows large areas of the sample surface to be navigated and scanned for features of interest. As users move around, they can see full color images displaying the chemical elements that make up their samples.

Since this detail is visible instantly,investigations can be performed in minutes. Alternatively, they can swiftly move on to analyzing alternative features or switch smoothly to another analytical technique, such as WDS, EDS, or EBSD, for a more detailed analysis.

The speed of navigation offered by the BEX technique allows Unity to revolutionize the normal microscopy workflow. It is for this reason that, in tests, Unity was shown to improve microscope productivity up to 100 times.

Video Credit: Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis

Cartography

Unity imaging allows precise and high-definition chemical mapping of the complete sample. Whatmay have taken hours and probably needed an overnight run, can currently be achieved in minutes.

In this video, product manager Haithem Mansour highlights the large area on the sample to be “mapped.” To give an idea of scale, the sample stub is 12 mm across in total. He then simply selects “Run” to begin the acquisition. In addition to the speed at which the data is being gathered, Haithem notes the quality of the map being created as the individual images are stitched together by the software. It is extremely quick and easy to pick out small pink particles of the titanium contaminant despite the low level at which it is present.

Video Credit: Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis

Unity in Action

Introduction to Unity BEX imaging detectorPlay

Introduction to Unity BEX Imaging Detector. Video Credit: Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis