Title: beam current
Long Title: IUPAC Gold Book - beam current
DOI: 10.1351/goldbook.B00621
Status: current

Definition
The number of primary electrons reaching the surface of the specimen per unit time expressed as electrical current. Recommended symbol: \(i_{\rm{B}}\); unit: \(\rm{A}\); typical range: \(\mathrm{nA}\). Recommended measurement technique: Faraday cage.

Related Terms
- cage: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/C00769
- primary electrons: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/P04829

Source
- PAC, 1983, 55, 2023. 'Nomenclature, symbols and units recommended for in situ microanalysis (Provisional)' on page 2026 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac198355122023)

Other Outputs
- html: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/B00621/html
- json: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/B00621/json
- xml: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/B00621/xml

Citation: Citation: 'beam current' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. 10.1351/goldbook.B00621
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Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.
Accessed: 2026-06-07T11:38:57+00:00