{
  "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.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2608.27858",
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Yue Chai"
    },
    {
      "name": "Honglong Zhao"
    },
    {
      "name": "Xinning Tian"
    },
    {
      "name": "Chao Ang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Zhu-Jun Wang"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ahd3drdsckak9.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2608.27858",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "ahd3drdsckak9",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.27858",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.app-ph"
    ],
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.ins-det"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2508|Electron and X-Ray Spectroscopy Techniques"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7204817713",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2608.27858",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-08-28",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ahd3drdsckak9.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:22Z",
      "native_id": "2608.27858",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.27858"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:physics.app-ph",
      "subfield": "applied-instrumentation"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Extending the operating window of scanning electron microscopy through an integrated electron-optical architecture for high-temperature and near-ambient-pressure environments",
  "title_text": "Extending the operating window of scanning electron microscopy through an integrated electron-optical architecture for high-temperature and near-ambient-pressure environments",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:22Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ahd3drdsckak9",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}