SPM system for semiconductor device applications.

Recently, scanning probe microscopy (SPM) is widely used for development of semiconductor devices. One of the important functions of SPM is high resolution topography, such as shape of the nanoscale devices and surface roughness of the films. Additionally, SPM can measure the electronic structure of the nanoscale-devices.

Electron beam nanoprocessing of a carbon nanotube film using a variable pressure scanning electron microscope.

We demonstrate a novel method of processing carbon nanotubes using a variable pressure scanning electron microscope. Lines were processed in a nanotube film by electron beam irradiation in oxygen gas and nitrogen gas. The processing mechanism can be explained in terms of gas ion sputtering and chemical reaction.

Cathodoluminescence investigation of organic materials.

Cathodoluminescence (CL) properties of various kinds of organic material were investigated for the purpose of staining biological specimens and obtaining CL images. Several kinds of organic light emitting device (OLED) material exhibited CL. The europium complex, Eu(dbm)3(phen), showed the strongest CL signal and was chemically modified for biological staining.

Cathodoluminescence imaging for identifying uptaken fluorescence materials in Kupffer cells using scanning electron microscopy.

Cathodoluminescence (CL) is the light that is emitted from a material irradiated by an electron beam. The present study was undertaken to show the applicability to biological studies of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with a high-sensitive cathodoluminescence detection system. For this purpose, we injected inorganic fluorescent powders (P43) suspended in phosphate buffered saline into rat blood circulation, fixed the animals with glutaraldehyde within a day, and observed the hepatic tissues with a SEM.