The spectrum imaging (SI) technique is useful to collect either wavelength-resolved spectrum images or (angle-resolved) emission pattern images.

The electron beam is focused into a small probe and rastered to acquire spatial information in a serial manner (X, Y). In SI acquisition mode, you acquire a spectrum (or emission pattern) at each pixel position, hence build up the spectrum image on a spectrum-by-spectrum or emission pattern-by-emission pattern basis. A typical workflow includes:

  1. Set up the microscope in scanning mode and in the appropriate state for the spectrometer you wish to use.

  2. Use the DigiScan™ system to acquire and assign a survey image.

  3. Create a spectrum image survey region of interest on the survey image.

  4. View the spectrum/emission pattern from the region you wish to acquire the spectrum image from.

  5. In the SI Setup dialog, specify which spectrum signals you want to acquire.

  6. If artifact corrections are required, enable them and/or create the artifact correction survey regions of interest.

  7. In the Spectrum Image dialog, specify the pixel dwell time you want to use and the size of the spectrum image in pixels.

  8. Select Start on the Spectrum Imaging dialog.

Here are detailed SI workflows you can follow to better understand your sample when you use Gatan Microscopy Suite® software.