Kimball laB6 cathodes
Kimball lanthanum hexaboride LaB6 filaments are the industry standard, high quality LaB6 cathodes and  available for most makes of electron microscopes and other E-beam instruments.
Kimball LaB6 cathodes improve results when used for:
- SEM for low voltage and long term EDS mapping applications
- TEM imaging and analysis
- Electron probe micro analyzers (EPMA or Microprobe)
- E-beam lithography
Kimball LaB6 cathodes are available with three types of LaB6 tips:
- Standard tip with 90° cone and 15 µm micro-flat for standard SEM and standard TEM applications
- Long life, high stability tip with 90° cone and 20 µm micro-flat for Microprobes and analytical SEM applicationsÂ
- High brightness, sharp tip with 60° cone and 6 µm micro-flat for high resolution TEM applications
LaB6 cathode sources need a higher operating pressure than standard tungsten sources which generally requires an additional ion-getter pump at the electron source. The required vacuum is in the 10-7mbar range. The lifetime of an LaB6 cathode is much longer than a tungsten source providing a stable high brightness source over a longer period.
The standard LaB6 cathode comprises a 90° tip angle and a 15µm flat made from a <100> oriented single crystal. This provides a long lifetime, high brightness source coupled with excellent stability. A special version with a sharper 60° tip angle and smaller 6µm flat is available for TEMs.
Kimball Physics use the purest, high quality lanthanum hexaboride crystals for ES-423E LaB6 cathodes. The standard Kimball LaB6 tip provides a ten times higher brightness than the standard tungsten source, resulting in better resolution with clear images and reduced noise.
For details, specifications and comparisions, please see the drop down tabs below
For tungsten filaments please see EBS tungsten filaments.
Kimball Physics ES-423E (extended life) LaB6 cathode is a high performance, resistively heated, thermionic electron source. It is based on a well proven carbon rod heater structure with improved stability, improved reliability and less exposure of the LaB6 crystal to reduce contamination of the Wehnelt aperture. There is heating current through the LaB6 crystal; there are no high-temperature current carrying joints. The LaB6 crystal is held in place by a carbon ferrule. The design results in a small physical size which fits most Wehnelt cylinder with ease.  Benefits of this unique construction are:
- Suitable for SEM, TEM, Microprobes and E-Beam lithography systems
- Resistively, indirectly heated high purity LaB6 crystal, resulting in lower heating current
- High thermal stability to eliminate drift problems
- Carbon ferrule with less exposure of LaB6 crystal to reduce Wehnelt contamination
- low vapour pressure with reduced evaporation loss
- High brightness; about 10 x higher than tungsten filaments (even 20x for the sharper tips)
- Stable sources; due to its sturdy construction, the standard Kimball LaB6 cathodes comprise a stability of better than 3%/hour at 1550°C
- Long life; at 10-7mbar vacuum and 1550°C operating temperature, >500 hours lifetime can be expected for the standard Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode
- Low work function of 2.66ev (compared to 4.7ev for tungsten)
Please consult the following table for the correct type of Kimball LaB6 source or cathode for your SEM, TEM or Microprobe. The Kimball Physics LAB6 cathodes are available for Thermo, FEI, Hitachi, JEOL, Amray, CamScan, ISI, ABT, Topcon, Philips, Tescan, Zeiss, LEO, Leica, Cambridge Instruments and Leica electron microscopes.
Type | Standard tip | Long life, high stability tip | High brightness sharp tip |
Tip shape | 90°tip angle with 15µm flat | 90°tip angle with 20µm flat | 60°tip angle with 6µm flat |
Brightness Value |
10 x times than tungsten tip 1 x 106 A/cm2.Str |
2 x less than standard tip 0.5 x 106 A/cm2.Str |
2 x times than standard tip 2 x 106 A/cm2.Str |
Saturation | Mono spot at around 1550°C | Mono spot at around 1550°C | Mono spot at around 1550°C |
Crossover | Small: 7-10µm | Small: 7-10µm | Small: 7-10µm |
Angular distribution | Sharp: 1.6 x 10-2 rad | Sharp; 1.6 x 10-2 rad | Sharp; 1.6 x 10-2 rad |
Lifetime | Long > 500 hrs | Longer than standard tip | Shorter than standard tip |
Ease of operation | Moderate | Easy, due to larger spot | Difficult, due smaller spot |
Stability | High, better than 3%/hr | High, better than 3%/hr | Lower, due to smaller spot |
Vacuum | 10-7 mbar or better | 10-7mbar or better | 10-7mbar or better |
Work function | 2.66 ev | 2.66 ev | 2.66 ev |
Application | SEM & TEM | Analytical SEM / Microprobe | TEM |
Electron Microscope Type or Filament base | Product number | Ceramic Disc mm | Pin Diameter mm | Pin Pitch mm |
AEI | 14-AE3501 | 12.0 | 1.0 | 6.45 |
AmRay /AMR (except 1200 series) | 14-AM3502 | 26.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 |
Cambridge Instruments (except S4-10) | 14-AE3501 | 12.0 | 1.0 | 6.45 |
CamScan with AEI conversion | 14-AE3501 | 12.0 | 1.0 | 6.45 |
FEI TEM and SEM | 14-FP3503 / 14-FP3568 | 26.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 |
Hitachi S-Type | 14-HI3504 | 9.8 | 1.2 | 2.7 |
JEOL K-Type metal ring – SEM – standard tip | 14-JL3508 | 28.0 | 1.2 | 8.0 |
JEOL K-Type metal ring – TEM – sharp tip | 14-JL3568 | 28.0 | 1.2 | 8.0 |
Leica | 14-AE3501 | 12.0 | 1.0 | 6.45 |
LEO 400 and 1400 Series SEM | 14-AE3501 | 12.0 | 1.0 | 6.45 |
LEO1450 (except AEI conversions) | 14-ZS3510 | 19.8 | 1.0 | 5.0 |
LEO TEM | 14-ZS3560 | 19.8 | 1.0 | 5.0 |
Philips SEM and TEM (except XL-30) | 14-FP3503 / 14-FP3563 | 26.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 |
Philips XL-30 SEM | 14-AE3501 | 12.0 | 1.0 | 6.45 |
Tescan | 14-TN3509 | 19.8 | 1.0 | 5.0 |
Thermo SEM and TEM | 14-FP3503 / 14-FP3563 | 26.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 |
Zeiss DSM SEM and TEM | 14-ZS3510 / 14-ZS3560 | 19.8 | 1.0 | 5.0 |
This electron source performance table is provided to give additional information on the performance and requirements for different type of electron emitters. Tungsten cathodes are still used in many SEMs. Improved results can be obtained with LaB6 cathodes. The highest resolution, highest brightness and best low kV performance can be achieved with either Schottky or cold Field Emission Sources.
Emitter Type |
Thermionic |
Thermionic |
Schottky TFE |
Cold FE |
Tip image comparison | ||||
Cathode material | W | LaB6 | ZrO/W (100) | W (310) |
Operating temp (K) | 2700 | 1800 | 1800 | 300 |
Cathode Radius (nm) | 60,000 | 10,000 | <1000 | <100 |
Effective source radius (µm) | 25 | 10 | 0.015 | 0.0025 |
Emission current density (A/cm2) | 3 | 30 | 5300 | 17,000 |
Total emission current (µA) | 200 | 80 | 200 | 5 |
Brightness (A/cm2.sr.kV) | 1×104 | 1×105 | 1×107 | 2×107 |
Maximum probe current (nA) | 1000 | 1000 | 10 | 0.2 |
Energy epread @ cathode (ev) | 0.59 | 0.4 | 0.31 | 0.26 |
Energy spread @ Source Exit (eV) | 1.5 – 2.5 | 1.3 – 2.5 | 0.35 – 0.7 | 0.3 – 0.7 |
Beam noise (%) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 – 10 |
Emission current drift (%/h) | 0.1 | 0.2 | <0.5 | 5 |
Operating vacuum (hPa/mbar) | <10-5 | <10-6 | <10-8 | <10-10 |
Typical cathode life (h) | 100 | >1000 | >5000 | >2000 |
Cathode regeneration (h) | None | None | None | 6-12 |
Sensitivity to external influences | Minimal | Low | Low | High |
Stability | Standard | High | Very high | Low |
X-ray analysis | EDS / WDS | EDS / WDS | EDS / WDS | EDS |
Further details and specifications of Kimball ES423E LaB6 can be found in the PDF: Kimball ES-423E Extended Life LaB6 Cathode Specifications
Ordering information:
-
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, AEI base – 90 degrees/15µm round tip
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- AEI base- 90 degrees/15µm round tip for Zeiss EVO, LEO, Leica, CamScan, Cambridge Instruments and Philips XL-30 SEMs (each)
£1,296.80 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, AEI base – 90 degrees/20µm round tip
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- AEI base- 90 degrees/20µm round tip for Zeiss EVO, LEO-, Leica-,CamScan-, Cambridge Instruments and Philips XL-30 SEMs (each)
£1,296.80 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E laboratory6 cathode- AEI base- 60 degrees/6µm round tip
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- AEI base- 60 degrees/6µm round tip for Zeiss EVO- LEO- Leica- CamScan- Cambridge Instruments and Philips XL-30 (each)
£1,296.80 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E laboratory6 cathode, AmRay base – 90 degrees/15µm round tip
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- AmRay base- 90 degrees/15µm round tip for all AMR Leitz/AMR and AmRay SEMs- except AMR 1200 serie (each)
£1,396.55 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, AmRay base – 90 degrees/20µm round tip
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- AmRay base- 90 degrees/20µm round tip for all AMR Leitz/AMR and AmRay SEMs- except AMR 1200 serie (each)
£1,396.55 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, AmRay base – 60 degrees/6µm round tip
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- AmRay base- 60 degrees/6µm round tip for AMR Leitz/AMR and AmRay- except AMR 1200 serie (each)
£1,330.43 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, FEI/Philips base – 90 degrees/15µm round tip
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- FEI/Philips base- 90 degrees/15µm round tip for Thermo and FEI TEM/SEM and Philips EM200 TEM and PSEM 500 and later (except XL-30) (each)
£1,396.55 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, FEI/Philips base – 90 degrees/20µm round tip
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- FEI/Philips base- 90 degrees/20µm round tip for Thermo and FEI SEM and Philips PSEM 500 and later (except XL-30) (each)
£1,396.55 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, FEI/Philips base – 60 degrees/6µm round tip
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- FEI/Philips base- 60 degrees/6µm round tip for Thermo and FEI TEM and Philips EM200 TEM and later (each)
£1,396.55 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, Hitachi S-type base – 90 degrees/15µm round tip
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- Hitachi S-type base- 90 degrees/15µm round tip for Hitachi S– SU- H- and X-Series SEM and TEM (each)
£1,396.55 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, Hitachi S-type base – 90 degrees/20µm round tip
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- Hitachi S-type base- 90 degrees/20µm round tip for Hitachi S– SU- H- and X-Series SEM (each)
£1,407.64 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, Hitachi S-type base – 60 degrees/6µm round tip for Hitachi TEM
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- Hitachi S-type base- 60 degrees/6µm round tip for Hitachi TEM (each)
£1,407.64 Add to basket -
Hitachi S-type base, pre-aligned tungsten filaments with metal cartridge
Hitachi S-type base pre-aligned Tungsten Filaments with Metal Cartridge (each)
£126.96 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, JEOL K-type base – 90 degrees/15µm round tip for SEM and TEM
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- JEOL K-type base- 90 degrees/15µm round tip for SEM and TEM (each)
£1,407.64 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, JEOL K-type base – 90 degrees/20µm round tip for SEM
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- JEOL K-type base- 90 degrees/20µm round tip for SEM (each)
£1,396.55 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, JEOL K-type base – 60 degrees/6µm round tip for TEM
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- JEOL K-type base- 60 degrees/6µm round tip for TEM (each)
£1,396.55 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, Tescan base- 90 degrees/15µm round tip for Tescan SEMs
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- Tescan base- 90 degrees/15µm round tip for Tescan SEMs (each)
£1,396.55 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, Tescan base – 90 degrees/20µm round tip for Tescan SEMs
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- Tescan base- 90 degrees/20µm round tip for Tescan SEMs (each)
£1,407.64 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, Tescan base 60 degrees/6µm round tip for Tescan
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- Tescan base- 60 degrees/6µm round tip for Tescan (each)
£1,407.64 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, Zeiss base – 90 degrees/15um round tip
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- Zeiss base- 90 degrees/15µm round tip for DSM series SEMs- TEMs- LEO TEMs and LEO 1450 SEM (each)
£1,407.64 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, Zeiss base – 90 degrees/20um round tip for DSM series and LEO 1450 SEM
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- Zeiss base- 90 degrees/20?m round tip for DSM series SEMs and LEO 1450 SEM (each)
£1,407.64 Add to basket -
Kimball ES-423E LaB6 cathode, Zeiss base – 60 degrees/6?m round tip for Zeiss TEMs and LEO TEMs
Kimball ES-423ELaB6 cathode- Zeiss base- 60 degrees/6?m round tip for Zeiss TEMs and LEO TEMs (each)
£1,407.64 Add to basket