Comparison and combination of imaging techniques for three dimensional analysis of electrical trees
Comparison and combination of imaging techniques for three dimensional analysis of electrical trees
复制标题
电树三维分析成像技术的比较与组合
DOI：
10.1109/tdei.2014.004730
复制
发表时间：
2015
影响因子：
3.1
通讯作者：
P. Withers
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
R. Schurch;S. Rowland;R. Bradley;P. Withers
电树的成像已经成为研究这一现象的重要工具。作者此前已经证明，可以使用X射线计算机断层扫描(XCT)或连续块面扫描电子显微镜(SBFSEM)对电树进行三维成像和生成虚拟复制品。在此，我们对这些技术进行了评估，并将其与传统光学方法一起用于电树的3D分析。种植了许多类型的实验室创造的树，显示了各种形态，并对其进行了检查，以描绘每种技术的能力。对XCT和SBFSEM技术得到的电树横断面图像和虚拟复制品进行了定性和定量的比较。SBFSEM提供了比XCT更详细的信息，通过成像较小的子分支以及比较捕获的树通道数、树长度或树体积等参数时得到了证明。平均而言，SBFSEM捕获的每个切片的树通道数量几乎是XCT的两倍，并且在大多数情况下，虚拟副本具有更大的容量。然而，SBFSEM是一种破坏性技术，使得成像过程不如XCT可靠，不适合于多阶段的树木生长实验。为了进行充分的分析，提出了一种成像技术的组合。首先使用光学方法来监测树木的生长。然后，微XCT可以提供低至0.4μm的像素尺寸和大约1 mm x 1 mm的视场，可以用来显示正常/成熟电树的整体3D结构。Nano-XCT可以用来探索更详细的感兴趣区域，像素大小为~65 nm，但视野有限，为65μm。最后，可以使用SBFSEM对树木的部分进行更详细的分析，它可以提供低于50 nm的分辨率。使用这种方法，可以实现对电树结构的更深入和更完整的分析。
Imaging of electrical trees has been an important tool for studying the phenomenon. The authors have previously shown that electrical trees can be three-dimensionally (3D) imaged and virtual replicas generated using X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) or Serial Block-Face Scanning Electron Microscopy (SBFSEM). Here these techniques are evaluated and compared for 3D analysis of electrical trees along with conventional optical methods. A number of types of laboratory created trees showing range of morphologies were grown and examined to delineate the capabilities of each technique. Cross-sectional images and virtual replicas of the electrical trees from XCT and SBFSEM techniques were compared both qualitatively and quantitatively. SBFSEM provides greater detail than XCT, evidenced by imaging smaller sub-branches and when comparing parameters such as the number of tree channels, tree length or tree volume captured. On average, SBFSEM captures almost double the number of tree channels per slice than XCT, and virtual replicas in most of the cases have larger volumes. However, SBFSEM is a destructive technique, which makes the imaging process less reliable than XCT and not suitable for multi-stage of tree growth experiments. For full analysis, a combination of imaging techniques is proposed. Optical methods are used first to monitor tree growth. Then, micro-XCT which provides pixel size down to ~0.4 μm with a field of view of around 1 mm x 1 mm, can be used to reveal the overall 3D structure of a normal/mature electrical tree. Nano-XCT can be used to explore in more detail regions of interest, with a pixel size of ~65 nm, but a limited field of view of 65 μm. Finally, sections of the tree can be analyzed in even greater detail using SBFSEM, which can provide resolutions below 50 nm. Using this approach, a deeper and more complete analysis of the structure of electrical trees can be achieved.