Digital Image Tips: Adjusting Brightness And Contrast In Micrographs Using Adobe PhotoshopÆ

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Recently on the microscopy list server, a question came up as to how to compensate for charging in SEM micrographs. Several good answers were suggested. Some of them were 1) recoating the sample to prevent the build up of charge on the sample in the first place, and image it again, 2) use an environmental SEM (ESEM) in the “wet” mode to eliminate the charging phenomena, 3) use a different detector, such as a backscattered electron detector, which is much less sensitive to charging phenomena, and 4) apply adjustments to the digital image using software such as Adobe PhotoshopÆ to minimize the effect of the charging problem.