The electron beam damage of synthetic polymers

Beam damage is a severe limitation when the electron microscope is applied to the study of microstructures of synthetic polymers. There is no practical method of increasing significantly the critical dose required to damage a specimen. It is therefore necessary to utilize fully the information present in the electron beam by efficient recording and by eliminating unnecessary accumulation of irradiation damage. The STEM technique provides a unique facility for this type of work mainly because of localized and well controlled beam damage in both the image and microdiffraction modes. (author)