FE-SEM Troubleshooting

Purple Screen

An easy way to fix the purple screen is to exit and restart the FE-SEM software. If that does not work, then contact lab personnel.

What can I do about poor image quality?

Check the focus, stigmation, and the Ie setting. For noisy, low magnification images, increase the beam current. For high resolution images, try a low beam current and/or short working distance.

How do I get images off the computer?

You can do one of the following: burn a CD with the images, transfer the images to a jump drive, or email them to yourself.

I dropped my specimen in the chamber, what now?

If this happens contact lab personnel for assistance!! To minimize the chances of this happening, use the infrared chamber camera to monitor specimen insertion. Be sure that you feel some friction when it slides onto the stage. Sometimes users believe the sample holder is on the stage when it is really just on the edge of it, or they overshoot it by lifting their exchange rod. Remember DO NOT TOUCH THE EXCHANGE ROD ITSELF!

What should I do if the chamber vacuum is lost during specimen loading?

If the vacuum is lost while loading a specimen, the scope will automatically shut off. Quickly retract the exchange rod, and close MV-1 to prevent complete vacuum loss. Contact lab personnel immediately. DO NOT try to fix this problem yourself.

What should I do if the software stage position display is different from the stage position itself?

If the knobs are not positioned at X = 12.5 mm and Y = 12.5 mm, manually rotate the knobs on the stage until they come to that position. Then enter their values into the X and Y windows on the computer screen.

This is the end of the Hitachi S-4700 FE-SEM training module.

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