The effect of secondary electrons generated in a commercial FEG-TEM on electron energy-loss spectra

The generation of secondary and backscattered electrons in a commercial field-emission gun (FEG) transmission electron microscope (TEM) is reported. The inelastic electron-scattering processes that result in the production of these electrons are discussed and the influence of the electrons on the observed electron energy-loss spectrum is described. Analysis of energy-loss spectra collected in the absence of a specimen permits some insight into the scattering process and the impact of the microscope parameters on the scattering is investigated. It is shown that these effects can have serious implications for the use of electron energy-loss spectroscopy in a FEG-TEM.