A low-energy electron point-source projection microscope not using a sharp metal tip performs well in long-range imaging

A low-energy electron point-source projection microscope that uses a metal/insulator structure as source instead of a sharp metal needle is presented. By combining this source with an electron optical lens and a high spatial resolution image detector, performances comparable to those of a normal electron projection microscope are easily accessible and presented here. The accessible electron energy range extends from 100 eV to 1000 eV. In the example presented here, instead of the usual near-field source-object distance, long-range imaging at a distance of about 600 µm is achieved.