microShape
Using a 4-quadrant backscatter electron (4Q BSE) detector, generating 3D data with microShape is quick and simple: it takes a few seconds to create and visualize the topography of your samples. Enhance the capabilities of your SEM with microShape and make use of the following advantages:
- 3D visualization of sample surface (topography)
- profile views
- 3D coordinates and height differences
- calculate spatial distances and angles
In order to obtain quantitative 3D data, a calibration of your SEM and your 4Q BSE detector is required. We recommend our 3D calibration structures and our calibration software microCal.
The calibration structures are specifically developed for SEM 3D calibration due to their spatially distributed nanomarker for scale calibration and their micro-hemisphere for detector calibration. The Software algorithms automatically compare the measured nanomarker coordinates to the specific reference coordinates of your 3D calibration structure and calculate scale factors in all spatial directions. These calibration factors can the be used to correct further measurements.
[The calibration structures and the calibration software were developed by m2c, a brand of point electronic GmbH].
Basic functions
- 3D and map view of topography data with various options for rendering and coloured views
- Rotate, shift, zoom and scale data
- Measure and save heights, 3D coordinates, spatial distances, and angles
- Measure and view profiles, save profile data as PDF report, ASCII, CSV, or image data
- 3D data processing (rotate data, change resolution, extract ROIs, calculate histogram)
- Calculate difference, sum, and mean of topographic data
- Calculate surface parameters (spherical and polynomial approximation)
- Add texture (e.g., from SE image or EDS mapping)
- Apply 3D data correction (scale and shear factors for lateral and height correction)
- Save rendered 3D views, maps, and ROIs
- Export topography data for further processing or analysis (ASCII, BCR, Al3D, Surfer DAT, 8/16-bit TIFF)
- Export topography for 3D print (PLY format)
- Export texture (ASCII, TIFF, JPG, PNG, BMP)
- Import of topography data (ASCII, 8/16-bit TIFF)
3D reconstruction plugin
- 3D reconstruction of topography data from four images of a segmented BSE detector (with shape -from-shading)
- Calculate topography independent backscatter values and gradients and view as texture
- Apply geometric scan corrections
- Apply lateral and height scale correction (presumes 3D calibration)
- Free configurable detector geometry (WD correction for different height mounting, radial distance, mounting angle)
- Import of common SEM image file formats