A method using an on‐line digital computer for the improvement of resolution of backscattered electron images

Oho, Eisaku; Ogihara, Akinori; Kanaya, K.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2818.1991.tb03199.x

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…3). High object contrasts can be reduced by local corrections of brightness and gradation curve ( Oho, 1992), a method exceptionally useful for backscattered electron images ( Oho et al ., 1991 ). Images obtained from different detectors, such as secondary electron and backscattered electron detectors, can easily be combined in a colour‐encoded image and thereby it is possible to visualize information of both sources in a single image ( Swift & Brown, 1975; Saparin & Obyden, 1987; Postek & Vladár, 1996).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A simple method for the acquisition of high‐quality digital images from analog scanning electron microscopes

Gebert

Preiss

1998

Journal of Microscopy

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A method is described for converting video signals of analog scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) into digital images of high quality. A plug-in card commercially available for personal computers is used for the on-line analog/digital conversion. A Windows application program written by the authors, together with low-level software drivers supplied with the plug-in card, allow digital images to be recorded, to be displayed simultaneously on the computer monitor and to be saved as a file in a standardized format. Compared to conventional photographic images obtained from the SEM camera system, the digital images possess superior sharpness of outline, excellent image definition, diminished noise and well-defined grey-scale tones. This method provides SEM images of high quality for less than $1000 from most older analog SEMs. In addition, the advantages of digital image processing can be applied to analog SEMs, including contrast enhancement, digital filtering and multichannel recording.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A simple method for the acquisition of high‐quality digital images from analog scanning electron microscopes

Gebert

Preiss

1998

Journal of Microscopy

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“…As shown in the example, this useful enhancement technique (noise removal) may be very helpful for many SEM specimens with a variety of properties, although Figure 8d blurs somewhat because of the underscanning (sampling). Other practical SEM image enhancement techniques for secondary electron images (Oho 1992, Oho andPeters 1994) and for backscattered electron image (Oho et al 1991) have been described elsewhere.…”

Section: Complex Hysteresis Smoothing For Reducing Noise In Sem Imagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Proper acquisition and handling of scanning electron microscopy images using a high‐performance personal computer

1996

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Summary:The modern high-performance personal computer (PC) has very recently expanded the range of utilization of digital scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, and the PC will be used increasingly with SEMs. However, the image quality of digital SEM images may be considerably influenced by scanning and digitization conditions. In particular, the effects of the aliasing error peculiar to digital data are often serious in the low-magnification acquisition (undersampling) of SEM images, and moreover even a high-magnification image (oversampling) is disturbed by the undersampled noise (a sort of aliasing error). Furthermore, the signal-to-noise ratio of a digitized SEM image is closely related to the performance of the analog-to-digital converter. To prevent a flood of low-quality digital images with artifacts by the aliasing and additional noise, we propose a method using very high-density sampling (scanning). In addition, we will discuss how to handle digital SEM images from the point of view of the sampling and quantization.

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“…The resolution of BSE images, which is basically insufficient, has been improved by a digital image processing technique beyond previously accepted classic limits (Oho et al 1991).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Image restoration for TV‐scan moving images acquired through a semiconductor backscattered electron detector

Oho

Suzuki

2009

Scanning

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A semiconductor backscattered electron (BSE) detector has become popular in scanning electron microscopy session. However, detectors of semiconductor type have a serious disadvantage on the frequency characteristics. As a result, fast scan (e.g. TV-scan) BSE image should be blurred remarkably. It is the purpose of this study to restore this degradation by using digital image processing technology. In order to improve it practically, we have to settle several problems, such as noise, undesirable processing artifacts, and ease of use. Image processing techniques in an impromptu manner like a conventional mask processing are unhelpful for this study, because a complicated degradation of output signal affects severely the phase response as well as the amplitude response of our SEM system. Hence, based on the characteristics of an SEM signal obtained from the semiconductor BSE detector, a proper inverse filter in Fourier domain is designed successfully. Finally, the inverse filter is converted to a special convolution mask, which is skillfully designed, and applied for TV-scan moving BSE images. The improved BSE image is very effective in the work for finding important objects.

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A method using an on‐line digital computer for the improvement of resolution of backscattered electron images

Cited by 7 publications

References 11 publications

A simple method for the acquisition of high‐quality digital images from analog scanning electron microscopes

A simple method for the acquisition of high‐quality digital images from analog scanning electron microscopes

Proper acquisition and handling of scanning electron microscopy images using a high‐performance personal computer

Image restoration for TV‐scan moving images acquired through a semiconductor backscattered electron detector

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