Imaging filters produce energy-selected images in a few seconds, and chemical maps formed by processing of several images taken at different energy losses in typically less than one minute. On the other hand, imaging filters do not provide detailed spectra from each specimen point, and are vulnerable to artifacts due to variations in specimen thickness, and other effects influencing EELS background extrapolation and subtraction. These include diffraction contrast arising particularly in crystalline samples, edge overlap, and extended fine structures (EXELFS) in the pre-edge region caused by major edges at lower energies. We have therefore been exploring the practical usefulness of imaging filters on a range of specimens from materials science and biology. The results suggest that the imaging capability combined with full paralleldetection EELS performance delivers a very powerful experimental set-up.Figure 1 shows an energy-filtered bright field image of a steel sample containing about 1 % Cu, obtained at 120 keV with the Gatan Imaging Filter (GIF) attached to a Philips CM12ST microscope.
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