Abstract: An optical phase plate system and method for enhancing phase contrast in electron beam imaging includes a transmission electron microscope (TEM) having a back focal plane; an optical cavity having a high internal surface reflectance, the center of the optical cavity located at the back focal plane of the TEM, the optical cavity having first and second ports arranged oppositely along a symmetrical axis of the optical cavity to admit an electron beam provided by the TEM through the first port to pass through and focus at the center of the optical cavity, and to exit through the second port, and wherein the optical cavity further has an optical port on an axis transverse to and intersecting the electron beam axis to admit a laser beam; a laser coupled to the optical cavity to provide a laser beam of a selected wavelength to enter the optical cavity through the optical port, wherein the laser beam is multiply reflected from the high internal surface reflectance to provide a high intensity standing wave optical ph

Abstract: A phase plate (10) for phase-contrast electron microscopes is characterized by comprising a conductive core phase plate (14) which has a phase plate body (11) and a phase plate support (12) supporting it and is arranged in the path of electrons having passed through the objective lens of an electron microscope and in which the phase plate body (11) is so supported on the phase plate support (12) having an opening (13) as to cover at least a part of the opening (13) and a conductive shield thin film (15) covering the periphery of the core phase plate (14) including the upper and lower sides thereof. Consequently, a phase plane for phase-contrast electron microscopes preventing the lens effect incident to charging completely and applicable to the field of material science, its manufacturing method and a phase-contrast electron microscope can be provided.