Electron microscope image recording and read-out method

Abstract

Each of two-dimensional sensors is exposed to an electron beam, which has passed through a sample, in a vacuum in order to store the energy from the electron beam on the two-dimensional sensor, and is then exposed to light or heat in order to release the stored energy as emitted light. The emitted light is photoelectrically detected and an image signal is thereby obtained which represents an electron microscope image of the sample. Read-out conditions which are to be used when the emitted light is detected are determined from an electron beam exposure amount which was set when the energy from the electron beam was stored on each two-dimensional sensor. Signals representing the read-out conditions determined for the two-dimensional sensors are stored in a storage device so that it is clear which read-out conditions correspond to which two-dimensional sensor. When light emitted by a two-dimensional sensor is to be detected, a signal which represents the read-out conditions corresponding to the two-dimensional sensor is read from the storage device, and the read-out conditions are set.