Extending the operating window of scanning electron microscopy through an integrated electron-optical architecture for high-temperature and near-ambient-pressure environments

[2608.27858] Extending the operating window of scanning electron microscopy through an integrated electron-optical architecture for high-temperature and near-ambient-pressure environments Skip to main content Search Submit Donate Log in Physics > Applied Physics arXiv:2608.27858 (physics) [Submitted on 28 Aug 2026] Title: Extending the operating window of scanning electron microscopy through an integrated electron-optical architecture for high-temperature and near-ambient-pressure environments Authors: Yue Chai , Honglong Zhao , Xinning Tian , Chao Ang , Zhu-Jun Wang View PDF Abstract: Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) under simultaneously high-temperature, near-ambient-pressure (NAP), and reactive-gas environments requires coordinated control of vacuum isolation, electron-beam transmission, signal generation, and thermal management, constraints that have long limited the operating window of environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). Here we establish an integrated electron-optical architecture that combines a multistage differential-pressure pathway, front-stage pressure transition, detector optimization, thermal management, and a gas-focusing sampling architecture into a unified ESEM platform. Pressure distribution and electron-beam transmission are quantitatively validated through computational fluid dynamics (CFD), Monte Carlo electron-gas scattering analysis, and direct beam-current measurements, while detector optimization and thermionic-electron suppression preserve stable imaging under elevated pressure and temperature. The resulting system enables stable SEM imaging at pressures up to 20,000 Pa and high-temperature imaging up to 1,400 degrees C, continuous observation of hydrated biological specimens, and synchronized SEM-QMS operando characterization using local gas sampling. These developments establish a general electron-optical framework for extending ESEM toward realistic operando environments where elevated temperature, reactive gases, structural evolution, and gas-phase chemistry can be investigated simultaneously. Comments: 31 pages, 8 figures Subjects: Applied Physics (physics.app-ph) ; Instrumentation and Detectors (physics.ins-det) Cite as: arXiv:2608.27858 [physics.app-ph] (or arXiv:2608.27858v1 [physics.app-ph] for this version) https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2608.27858 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite Submission history From: Zhu-Jun Wang [ view email ] [v1] Fri, 28 Aug 2026 03:08:15 UTC (7,504 KB) Full-text links: Access Paper: View PDF view license Current browse context: physics.app-ph < prev | next > new | recent | 2026-08 Change to browse by: physics physics.ins-det References & Citations INSPIRE HEP NASA ADS Google Scholar Semantic Scholar export BibTeX citation Bookmark Bibliographic Tools Bibliographic and Citation Tools Bibliographic Explorer Toggle Bibliographic Explorer ( What is the Explorer? ) Connected Papers Toggle Connected Papers ( What is Connected Papers? ) Litmaps Toggle Litmaps ( What is Litmaps? ) scite.ai Toggle scite Smart Citations ( What are Smart Citations? ) Code, Data, Media Code, Data and Media Associated with this Article alphaXiv Toggle alphaXiv ( What is alphaXiv? ) Links to Code Toggle CatalyzeX Code Finder for Papers ( What is CatalyzeX? ) DagsHub Toggle DagsHub ( What is DagsHub? ) GotitPub Toggle Gotit.pub ( What is GotitPub? ) Huggingface Toggle Hugging Face ( What is Huggingface? ) ScienceCast Toggle ScienceCast ( What is ScienceCast? ) Demos Demos Replicate Toggle Replicate ( What is Replicate? ) Spaces Toggle Hugging Face Spaces ( What is Spaces? ) Spaces Toggle TXYZ.AI ( What is TXYZ.AI? ) Related Papers Recommenders and Search Tools Link to Influence Flower Influence Flower ( What are Influence Flowers? ) Core recommender toggle CORE Recommender ( What is CORE? ) Author Venue Institution Topic About arXivLabs arXivLabs: experimental projects with community collaborators arXivLabs is a framework that allows collaborators to develop and share new arXiv features directly on our website. Both individuals and organizations that work with arXivLabs have embraced and accepted our values of openness, community, excellence, and user data privacy. arXiv is committed to these values and only works with partners that adhere to them. Have an idea for a project that will add value for arXiv's community? Learn more about arXivLabs . Which authors of this paper are endorsers? | Disable MathJax ( What is MathJax? ) We gratefully acknowledge support from our major funders , member institutions , and all contributors. About · Help · Contact · Subscribe · Copyright · Privacy · Accessibility · Operational Status (opens in new tab) Major funding support from

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