• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• 제13권5호
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• pp.2529-2543
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• 2019

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image can link with the microscopic world through reflecting interaction between electrons and materials. The SEM images are easily subject to blurring distortions during the imaging process. Inspired by the fact that dark channel prior captures the changes to blurred SEM images caused by the blur process, we propose a method to evaluate the SEM images sharpness based on the dark channel prior. A SEM image database is first established with mean opinion score collected as ground truth. For the quality assessment of the SEM image, the dark channel map is generated. Since blurring is typically characterized by the spread of edge, edge of dark channel map is extracted. Then noise is removed by an edge-preserving filter. Finally, the maximum gradient and the average gradient of image are combined to generate the final sharpness score. The experimental results on the SEM blurred image database show that the proposed algorithm outperforms both the existing state-of-the-art image sharpness metrics and the general-purpose no-reference quality metrics.

• International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.28-33
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• 2008

In a scanning electron microscope (SEM), outside acoustic noise causes image noise that distorts observations of the specimen being examined. A SEM that is less sensitive to acoustic noise is highly desirable. This paper investigates the image noise problem by addressing the mode shapes of the base plate and the transmission path of the acoustic noise and vibration. By arranging the position of the rib, a new SEM base plate was developed that had twisting as the 1st and 2nd modes. In those two twisting modes, vibration nodes existed near the center of the base plate where the specimen chamber is placed. Less vibration was transmitted to the chamber and to the specimen by the twisting modes compared to bending ones, which are the 2nd and 3rd modes for a rectangular plain base plate. An SEM with the developed base plate installed exhibited a significant reduction of image noise when exposed to acoustic noises below 250 Hz.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제46권2호
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• pp.76-82
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• 2016

Aloe vera has been used in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industry for its therapeutic properties. However, there are not many current studies on the microstructure of A. vera compared to studies on the chemical constituents and health efficacy of A. vera. Therefore, we compared the morphology of an A. vera leaf using an optical microscope, a conventional scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a cryo-SEM. Especially, this study focused on observing the gel in the inner leaf of A. vera, which is challenging using standard imaging techniques. We found that cryo-SEM is most suitable method for the observation of highly hydrated biomaterials such as A. vera without removing moisture in samples. In addition, we found the optimal analytical conditions of cryo-SEM. The sublimation conditions of $-100^{\circ}C$ and 10 minutes possibly enable the surface of the inner leaf of A. vera to be observed in their "near life-like" state with retaining moisture. The experiment was repeated with A. arborescens and A. saponaria to confirm the feasibility of the conditions. The results of this study can be applied towards the basic research of aloe and further extend previous knowledge about the surface structures of the various succulent plants.

• 한국정밀공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국정밀공학회 2007년도 추계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.461-462
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• 2007

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.158-163
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• 2022

Purpose: We subjected scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images of the active layer of EBT3 film to texture analysis to determine the dose-response curve. Methods: Uncoated Gafchromic EBT3 films were prepared for direct surface SEM scanning. Absorbed doses of 0-20 Gy were delivered to the film's surface using a 6 MV TrueBeam STx photon beam. The film's surface was scanned using a SEM under 100× and 3,000× magnification. Four textural features (Homogeneity, Correlation, Contrast, and Energy) were calculated based on the gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) using the SEM images corresponding to each dose. We used R-square to evaluate the linear relationship between delivered doses and textural features of the film's surface. Results: Correlation resulted in higher linearity and dose-response curve sensitivity than Homogeneity, Contrast, or Energy. The R-square value was 0.964 for correlation using 3,000× magnified SEM images with 9-pixel offsets. Dose verification was used to determine the difference between the prescribed and measured doses for 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 Gy as 0.09, 1.96, -2.29, 0.17, and 0.08 Gy, respectively. Conclusions: Texture analysis can be used to accurately convert microscopic structural changes to the EBT3 film's surface into absorbed doses. Our proposed method is feasible and may improve the accuracy of film dosimetry used to protect patients from excess radiation exposure.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제50권
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• pp.14.1-14.6
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• 2020

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) plays a central role in analyzing structures by imaging a large area of brain tissue at nanometer scales. A vast amount of data in the large area are required to study structural changes of cellular organelles in a specific cell, such as neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia among brain tissue, at sufficient resolution. Array tomography is a useful method for large-area imaging, and the osmium-thiocarbohydrazide-osmium (OTO) and ferrocyanide-reduced osmium methods are commonly used to enhance membrane contrast. Because many samples prepared using the conventional technique without en bloc staining are considered inadequate for array tomography, we suggested an alternative technique using post-staining conventional samples and compared the advantages.

• 반도체디스플레이기술학회지
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• 제2권4호
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• pp.31-35
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• 2003

We present a formation technique of thin film heater for heat transfer components. Thin film structures of Cr-Si have been prepared on top of alumina substrates by magnetron sputtering. More samples of Mo thin films were prepared on silicon oxide and silicon nitride substrates by electron beam evaporation technology. The electrical properties of the thin film structures were measured up to the temperature of $500^{\circ}C$. The thickness of the thin films was ranged to about 1 um, and a post annealing up to $900^{\circ}C$ was carried out to achieve more reliable film structures. In measurements of temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR), chrome-rich films show the metallic properties; whereas silicon-rich films do the semiconductor properties. Optimal composition between Cr and Si was obtained as 1 : 2, and there is 20% change or less of surface resistance from room temperature to $500^{\circ}C$. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) were used for the material analysis of the thin films.

• 한국잠사곤충학회지
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.87-93
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• 1999

Under Light and Scanning electron microscope, the pupal morphology of mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori Linn. revealed the prothorax and metathorax, well developed mesothorax, less defined last pair of sporacle, well exposed prothoracic femora and wing pads approaching the anterior margin of Ab III. The important sex separating characters viz, wegiht, antennal elevations, intersegmental lines and genings have discussed. Further, two separate openings bursa copulatrix and ovipositional opening were observed, performing different functions in abult moth.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.214-217
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• 2015

This study introduces metal coating as an effective sample preparation method to remove charge-up caused by the shadow effect during field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) analysis of dynamic structured samples. During a FE-SEM analysis, charge-up occurs when the primary electrons (input electrons) that scan the specimens are not equal to the output electrons (secondary electrons, backscattered electrons, auger electrons, etc.) generated from the specimens. To remove charge-up, a metal layer of Pt, Au or Pd is applied on the surface of the sample. However, in some cases, charge-up still occurs due to the shadow effect. This study developed a coating method that effectively removes charge-up. By creating a converted sample stage capable of simultaneous tilt and rotation, the shadow effect was successfully removed, and image data without charge-up were obtained.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제50권
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• pp.26.1-26.3
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• 2020

The biocompatible polyurethane acrylate (PUA) nanopillars were fabricated by soft lithography using three different sizes of nanobeads (350, 500, and 1000 nm), and the human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) were cultured on the nanopillars. The hASCs and their various behaviors, such as cytoplasmic projections, migration, and morphology, were observed by high resolution images using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). With the accurate analysis by SEM for the controlled sizes of nanopillars, the deflections are observed at pillars fabricated with 350- and 500- nm nanobeads. These high-resolution images could offer crucial information to elucidate the complicated correlations between nanopillars and the cells, such as morphology and cytoplasmic projections.