 The decade of 1980 closed with the publication of two major works comprehensively dealing with the foundations of ESEM and the theory of the gaseous detection device (GDD).Furthermore, in 1988, the first commercial ESEM was exhibited in New Orleans by ElectroScan Corporation, a venture capital company wishing to commercialize the Danilatos ESEM.The company placed an emphasis on the secondary electron (SE) mode of the GDD and secured the monopoly of the commercial ESEM with a series of additional key patents.