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Reducing scanning electron microscope charging by using exponential contrast stretching technique on post‐processing images
Author(s) -
SIM K.S.,
TAN Y.Y.,
LAI M.A.,
TSO C.P.,
LIM W.K.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2818.2009.03328.x
Subject(s) - adaptive histogram equalization , histogram equalization , histogram , equalization (audio) , microscope , computer science , scanning electron microscope , artificial intelligence , computer vision , exponential function , sample (material) , image processing , materials science , optics , image (mathematics) , algorithm , mathematics , chemistry , physics , mathematical analysis , decoding methods , chromatography
Summary An exponential contrast stretching (ECS) technique is developed to reduce the charging effects on scanning electron microscope images. Compared to some of the conventional histogram equalization methods, such as bi‐histogram equalization and recursive mean‐separate histogram equalization, the proposed ECS method yields better image compensation. Diode sample chips with insulating and conductive surfaces are used as test samples to evaluate the efficiency of the developed algorithm. The algorithm is implemented in software with a frame grabber card, forming the front‐end video capture element.