A comparison of various imaging modes in scanning electron microscopy during evaluation of selected Si/refractory sessile drop couples after wettability tests at ultra-high temperature

In this work, FEI Scios^TM field emission gun scanning electron microscope (FEG SEM) equipped with a unique combination of analytical and imaging detectors was utilized to examine structure and chemistry of selected Si/refractory couples. The couples were obtained in wettability tests performed by the sessile drop method coupled with contact heating of a refractory substrate (h-BN, SiC) at ultra-high temperature (up to 1750°C). The SEM observations were carried out on top-views of the couples, in order to evaluate surface and interfacial phenomena in Si/h-BN and Si/SiC systems. A full range of available detectors (e.g. classical Everhart-Thornley detector (ETD) or advanced in-lens detectors) working under various operation modes (secondary electrons (SE), backscattered electrons (BSE), a mixed mode), were used upon analyses in order to reveal specific features of obtained structures.

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