Performance of a silicon-on-insulator direct electron detector in a low-voltage transmission electron microscope

The performance of a direct electron detector using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology in a low-voltage transmission electron microscope (LVTEM) is evaluated. The modulation transfer function and detective quantum efficiency of the detector are measured under backside illumination. The SOI-type detector is demonstrated to have high sensitivity and high efficiency for the direct detection of low-energy electrons. The detector is thus considered suitable for low-dose imaging in an LVTEM.