Temperature dependence of secondary electron emission: A new route to nanoscale temperature measurement using scanning electron microscopy

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is ubiquitous for imaging but is not generally regarded as a tool for thermal measurements. Here, the temperature dependence of secondary electron (SE) emission from a sample's surface is investigated. Spatially uniform SEM images and the net charge flowing through a sample were recorded at different temperatures to quantify the temperature dependence of SE emission and electron absorption. The measurements also demonstrated charge conservation during thermal cycling by placing the sample inside a Faraday cup to capture the emitted SEs and back-scattered electrons from the sample. The temperature dependence of SE emission was measured for four semiconducting materials (Si, GaP, InP, and GaAs) with response coefficients found to be of magnitudes ~100-1000 ppm/K. The detection limits for temperature changes were no more than ±8 °C for 60 s acquisition time.