1. Apreo FE-SEM Basic Training xT Microscope Control & Operation
Central Analytical Facility
The University of Alabama

2. Microscope Server and User Interface (UI)
While the xT Server software should be open at all times, to start it double click the icon
Click the “Start” button
Mouse over the green bar and double click to expand the server menu
Do not click “Stop” as this will stop the server
Login info:
Name: User PW: User
Name: Supervisor
PW: Supervisor

3. xT Microscope Control Tool Bar Image Windows Pages and Menus Data Bar
Navigation Cam
CCD
Objective Lens
ETD/SE Detector

4. Menu Bar – File & Detectors
Open files
Save & Save As
Save all
Saves an image from each quadrant
Record Movie
Print
Import & Export parameters
List of detectors, used to change image windows
ETD (secondary e-)
T1 (BSE)
T2 & T3 (secondary e-)
CCD
Live for stage movement
Nav Cam
Double click image to move to desired area

5. Menu Bar - Scan Pause (F6) Snapshot (F4) Snapshot (F2) Videoscope (F3)
Slow scan with prompt to name and save image
Snapshot (F2)
Slow scan that automatically saves to selected folder
Videoscope (F3)
Histogram displaying signal, used for brightness/contrast adjustment
Reduce Area (F7)
Smaller display window for focus and stigmation
Beam raster options
Scan speed controls
Image Filters
Live image
Average – Averages # of live scans to produce picture
Integrate – Averages # of live scans to produce picture, pauses scanning
Scan Rotation
Preferences

6. Menu Bar – Stage Align Feature Compucentric Rotation Define User Units
Aligns a feature to either the horizontal or vertical axis through stage rotation or scan rotation
Compucentric Rotation
X & Y axes are moved during rotation to keep ROI centered in image window
Define User Units
Beam Shift Reset
Centers beam shift, also available on beam page
Home Stage
Drives stage to home position with or without rotation
Link/Unlink Z to FWD
Nav-Cam options
Can drive to the Nav-Cam position for an updated photo as needed, or restore the previous photo

7. Menu Bar – Tools & View Center Cross Auto Contrast/Brightness (F9)
Auto Focus (F11)
Auto Stigmator (Ctrl + F11)
Center Cross

8. Menu Bar - Help
DocumentationPDF version of the instrument manual. Can also be accessed by clicking on and “?” icons displayed in the software
Safety Manual
Keyboard Shoftcuts
A list of F key functions and other shortcuts for operation
User Guidance
Workflows for specific applications, Useful for suggestions on beam parameters, working distance, etc.

9. Tool Bar 1) Undo/Redo buttons 2) Sample exchange window
3) Source selection (e-, Nav-Cam, CCD)
4) Use case selection (Standard, Optiplan, Immersion)
5) Dropdowns for magnification, accelerating voltage, and spot size/current
6) Lens adjustment
7) Reduced area (F7)
8) Link Z to FWD
Makes Z distance a function of the working distance from objective lens to sample surface
9) Auto contrast/brightness, focus, and stigmation

10. Tool Bar 1) Auto lens adjust 2) Videoscope (F3)
3) Dropdowns for dwell time and image resolution
4) Snapshot (F4)
5) Photo (F2)
6) Pause (F6)
7) Image Filter (Live, average, integrate)
8) Measurement and annotation tools

11. Beam Page Pump/Vent controls Column controls Magnification drop down
“Beam On” will open/close the column valve, exposing the sample to the e- beam
Dropdowns for Spot Size/Current or High Voltage
Magnification drop down
Compound Lens Filter
Used in conjunction with Immersion mode. Involves applying a magnetic field between objective and sample surface at very small working distances to form the smallest probe possible
Beam Options
An alternative adjustment for stigmation and beam shift. Right click to zero these parameters if needed
Scan Rotation
Detector contrast and brightness slider bars

12. Stage Page Coordinate system Positions table Stage Nav-Cam view
Actual – Current coordinates
Target – Coordinates to move to
Relative – Coordinates relative to actual
Positions table
Save, update, and remove stored positions
Stage Nav-Cam view
Depiction of stage relative to door and ETD
Stage Z slider bar
Fine adjustment of the stage in the Z axis
Scan rotation
For image rotation when stage rotation is not an option

13. Venting Chamber and Loading Samples
After ensuring the column valve is closed, select vent from either the sample exchange window or the beam page. The venting process will take ~ 80 seconds
During venting the stage will be automatically lowered
Once vented, grab the chamber door handle and open the stage to load/unload samples
Note that only positions on the stage marked with “screw” need a set screw. Positions in the center of the stage do not
Be mindful of sample height so as to not damage the objective lens when closing the chamber door
From either menu select the “Pump” option to evacuate the chamber
If the “Take Nav-Cam Photo” box is checked, the stage will drive to the Nav-Cam for an updated picture

14. Coarse Focus, Linking Z to FWD
Once target pressure is reached (<7.5 x 10-6 torr), open the column valve by selecting “Beam On” in the Beam page
Using the coarse and fine MUI focus and stigmator knobs, focus on the surface of a sample up to ~10k X magnification
Once focused, click the “Link Z to FWD” button
The Z coordinate displayed in the actual coordinate set on the Stage page is now a function of distance between the objective lens and the sample surface
Focus and stigmator knobs on MUI

15. Moving the Stage and Fine Focus
There exist three ways to move the stage:
1) Typing in a target coordinate after
linking Z to FWD
2) Using the Z slider bar
3) Holding down the mouse wheel will
change the mouse icon to a yellow bar.
Moving the mouse forward or backward
will raise/lower the stage. Also works in
imaging window for X & Y movement
Raise the stage to the 10 mm position (yellow line)
Repeat focus/stigmation at a higher magnification
As a general rule, it is a good idea to focus/stigmate at times the magnification you wish to capture an image at
Link Z to FWD one additional time
This process should repeated when moving between samples, especially those with drastically different heights

16. Saving images
After repeating the focus/stigmation process to produce an image, there are multiple ways to scan and save said image
Snapshot (F4) and Photo (F2) will increase the dwell time of the beam before saving the picture. This can help remove some of the graininess in the image
Average or integrate a desired number of frames before using the “Save” or “Save As” functions. This can be useful at higher magnifications where vibration is a factor, and a slow scan may not remove it
“Save All” will save images from any of the four quadrants, with check boxes available for each as well as picture formats available in dropdowns

17. Shutdown
When imaging is complete, the instrument will need to be put in a shutdown stage for the next user
Begin by closing the column valve (“Beam On” on the Beam Page. Icon is grey when valve is closed, yellow when open)
Lower the stage a sufficient distance to prevent collision with the objective lens upon opening the chamber mm is a good target.
Turn off and features such as Beam Deceleration or the Compound Lens Filter
Return the lower left and lower right quadrants to the Nav-Cam and CCD respectively, using the Detectors menu
Either through the Beam Page or Sample Exchange Window, select “Vent” to begin venting the chamber. This will take ~80 seconds.
Once vented, use the handle on the front of the chamber to open the chamber and remove samples
If the next user is present the chamber can be left vented for them to load samples. If the next user is not present press “Pump” to begin evacuating the chamber
Data can be retrieved from the support PC located in the Data Processing room