  Electron-beam-induced conversion of materials in a transmission electron
microscope uses the high power density of a localized electron beam of
acceleration voltages above 100 kV as an energy source to transform matter at
the sub-micron scale. Here, the e-beam-induced transformation of precursor
microparticles employing a low-energy e-beam with an acceleration voltage of 30
kV in a scanning electron microscope is developed to increase the versatility
and efficiency of the technique. Under these conditions, the technique can be
classified between e-beam lithography, where the e-beam is used to mill holes
in or grow some different material onto a substrate, and e-beam welding, where
matter can be welded together when overcoming the melting phase. Modifying gold
microparticles on an amorphous SiOx substrate reveals the dominant role of
inelastic electron-matter interaction and subsequent localized heating for the
observed melting and vaporization of the precursor microparticles under the
electron beam. Monte-Carlo scattering simulations and thermodynamic modeling
further support the findings.
