SPI Supplies Brand TEM YAG Viewing Screen, 35-39 mm Diameter x 0.35 mm Thick, Aluminum Coated

Single Crystal YAG, doped with trivalent cerium can be used as a transparent screen in TEMs and various other electron optical devices. Although for the TEM application, its efficiency is slightly lower than for powder screens, but it has very high resolution, far better in fact than what would be possible with a powder and in addition, it is almost indestructable by the beam itself (at least in comparision to a powder screen).

We are also able to offer these single crystal scintillator materials in different forms and shapes, suitable for use in wide range of other applications including BSE (back scattered electron) detectors. Double detectors have been reported for both secondary electron (SE) and BSE imaging, while being connected to the same PMT.

Aluminum coating:   

• for electron energies > 4 keV 
• higher light output compared to oxide or carbon layer 
• higher resolution compared to Al coating 

Special note about EBSP (Electron Back Scatter Diffraction Pattern) applications:

Single crystal YAG has been used successfully in this application. However, not all users who have tried YAG in this application seem to be universally happy. Some have found what they believe to be lower contrast for the YAG screen relative to what they would have expected had they been using a normal powder P-20 coated screen. The explanation proffered as to the reason for the less-than-hoped for performance is that there are more internal reflections in the case of the YAG. So since this question has come up from time to time, we wanted to share this experience with our customers. We are looking for anyone who might share with us, and for a possible posting here on the website, of anyone else's experiences, good or bad, when using the SPI or any other brand of YAG scintillator discs for the EBSP application.