Z-contrast Imaging in an Aberration-corrected Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 343-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.J. Pennycook ◽  
B. Rafferty ◽  
P.D. Nellist
Keyword(s):  
Spherical Aberration ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope ◽  
Zone Axis ◽  
Contrast Imaging ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Scanning Transmission ◽  
Z Contrast ◽  
Contrast Image ◽  
Aberration Corrected

AbstractWe show that in the limit of a large objective (probe-forming) aperture, relevant to a spherical aberration corrected microscope, the Z-contrast image of a zone-axis crystal becomes an image of the 1s Bloch states. The limiting resolution is therefore the width of the Bloch states, which may be greater than that of the free probe. Nevertheless, enormous gains in image quality are expected from the improved contrast and signal-to-noise ratio. We present an analytical channeling model for the thickness dependence of the Z-contrast image in a zone-axis crystal, and show that, at large thicknesses, columnar intensities become proportional to the mean square atomic number, Z2.

Z-contrast Imaging in an Aberration-corrected Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 343-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.J. Pennycook ◽  
B. Rafferty ◽  
P.D. Nellist
Keyword(s):  
Spherical Aberration ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope ◽  
Zone Axis ◽  
Contrast Imaging ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Scanning Transmission ◽  
Z Contrast ◽  
Contrast Image ◽  
Aberration Corrected

Abstract We show that in the limit of a large objective (probe-forming) aperture, relevant to a spherical aberration corrected microscope, the Z-contrast image of a zone-axis crystal becomes an image of the 1s Bloch states. The limiting resolution is therefore the width of the Bloch states, which may be greater than that of the free probe. Nevertheless, enormous gains in image quality are expected from the improved contrast and signal-to-noise ratio. We present an analytical channeling model for the thickness dependence of the Z-contrast image in a zone-axis crystal, and show that, at large thicknesses, columnar intensities become proportional to the mean square atomic number, Z2.

Resolution in the Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope

1972 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 454-455
Author(s):  
M. G. R. Thomson
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscope ◽  
Spherical Aberration ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope ◽  
Dark Field ◽  
Objective Lens ◽  
Scanning Transmission Electron ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Scanning Transmission

The variation of contrast and signal to noise ratio with change in detector solid angle in the high resolution scanning transmission electron microscope was discussed in an earlier paper. In that paper the conclusions were that the most favourable conditions for the imaging of isolated single heavy atoms were, using the notation in figure 1, either bright field phase contrast with β0⋍0.5 α0, or dark field with an annular detector subtending an angle between ao and effectively π/2.The microscope is represented simply by the model illustrated in figure 1, and the objective lens is characterised by its coefficient of spherical aberration Cs. All the results for the Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) may with care be applied to the Conventional Electron Microscope (CEM). The object atom is represented as detailed in reference 2, except that ϕ(θ) is taken to be the constant ϕ(0) to simplify the integration. This is reasonable for θ ≤ 0.1 θ0, where 60 is the screening angle.

Incoherent High-Resolution Z-Contrast Imaging of Silicon and Gallium Arsenide Using HAADF-STEM

1999 ◽  
Vol 589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Kotaka ◽  
T. Yamazaki ◽  
Y Kikuchi ◽  
K. Watanabe
Keyword(s):  
Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope ◽  
Dark Field ◽  
Contrast Imaging ◽  
High Spatial Resolution Image ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Eigen Value ◽  
Scanning Transmission ◽  
Annular Dark Field ◽  
Convergent Beam ◽  
Z Contrast

AbstractThe high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) technique in a dedicated scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) provides strong compositional sensitivity dependent on atomic number (Z-contrast image). Furthermore, a high spatial resolution image is comparable to that of conventional coherent imaging (HRTEM). However, it is difficult to obtain a clear atomic structure HAADF image using a hybrid TEM/STEM. In this work, HAADF images were obtained with a JEOL JEM-2010F (with a thermal-Schottky field-emission) gun in probe-forming mode at 200 kV. We performed experiments using Si and GaAs in the [110] orientation. The electron-optical conditions were optimized. As a result, the dumbbell structure was observed in an image of [110] Si. Intensity profiles for GaAs along [001] showed differences for the two atomic sites. The experimental images were analyzed and compared with the calculated atomic positions and intensities obtained from Bethe's eigen-value method, which was modified to simulate HAADF-STEM based on Allen and Rossouw's method for convergent-beam electron diffraction (CBED). The experimental results showed a good agreement with the simulation results.

Incoherent Imaging by Z-Contrast Stem: Towards 1Å Resolution

1994 ◽  
Vol 332 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Pennycook ◽  
D. E. Jesson ◽  
A. J. Mcgibbon
Keyword(s):  
Phonon Scattering ◽  
Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope ◽  
Complex Materials ◽  
Intrinsic Resolution ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Scanning Transmission ◽  
Detector Geometry ◽  
Incoherent Imaging ◽  
Z Contrast ◽  
Contrast Image

ABSTRACTBy averaging phase correlations between scattered electrons a high angle detector in the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) can provide an incoherent, Z-contrast image at atomic resolution. Phase coherence is effectively destroyed through a combination of detector geometry (transverse incoherence) and phonon scattering (longitudinal incoherence). Besides having a higher intrinsic resolution, incoherent imaging offers the possibility of robust reconstruction to higher resolutions, provided that some lower frequency information is present in the image. This should have value for complex materials and regions of complex atomic arrangements such as grain boundaries. Direct resolution of the GaAs sublattice with a 300kV is demonstrated.

Aberration-Corrected STEM: the Present and the Future

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (S2) ◽  
pp. 896-897
Author(s):  
O.L. Krivanek ◽  
N. Dellby ◽  
P.D. Nellist ◽  
P.E. Batson ◽  
A.R. Lupini
Keyword(s):  
Spherical Aberration ◽  
Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope ◽  
Dark Field ◽  
Objective Lens ◽  
High Angle ◽  
Successful Operation ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Scanning Transmission ◽  
Full Speed ◽  
Aberration Corrected

Surprising as it may seem, aberration correction for the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) is now a practical proposition. The first-ever commercial spherical aberration corrector for a STEM was delivered by Nion to IBM Research Center in June 2000, and other deliveries have taken place since or are imminent. At the same time, the development of corrector hardware and software is still proceeding at full speed, and our understanding of what are the most important factors for the successful operation of a corrector is deepening continuously.Fig. 1 shows two high-angle dark field (HADF) images of [110] Si obtained with the IBM VG HB501 STEM operating at 120 kV, about 2 weeks after we fitted a quadrupole-octupole corrector into it. Fig. 1(a) shows the best HADF image that could be obtained with the corrector's quadrupoles on but its octupoles off. Sample structures were captured down to about 2.5 Å detail, easily possible in a STEM with a high resolution objective lens with a spherical aberration coefficient (Cs) of 1.3 mm. Fig. 1(b) shows a HADF image obtained after the Cs-correcting octupoles were turned on and the corrector tuned up. The resolution has now improved to 1.36 Å. This is sufficient to resolve the correct separation of the closely-spaced Si columns.

Progress in Aberration-Corrected STEM

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (S2) ◽  
pp. 100-101
Author(s):  
N. Dellby ◽  
O.L. Krivanek ◽  
A.R. Lupini
Keyword(s):  
Second Generation ◽  
Spherical Aberration ◽  
Chromatic Aberration ◽  
Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope ◽  
Aberration Correction ◽  
Resolution Limit ◽  
Contrast Imaging ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Scanning Transmission ◽  
Fixed Beam

Electron probe formation in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) has two properties that maximize the benefits of spherical aberration correction: the smallest and brightest probes are formed when all the geometric aberrations are set to zero, and the size of the probe is not greatly affected by the presence of chromatic aberration. This contrasts with the case of conventional, fixed-beam TEM (CTEM), in which optimized phase-contrast imaging demands a non-zero spherical aberration coefficient (Cs), and chromatic aberration constitutes a major resolution limit. As a result, a consensus is presently emerging that the benefits of aberration correction will be felt most strongly in STEM.Our efforts in Cs-corrected STEM have progressed from a proof-of-principle Cs corrector [1] to an optimized second-generation design [2]. The corrector in both cases is of the quadrupole-octupole type. The second-generation corrector uses separate quadrupoles and octupoles, and concentrates on maximizing the octupole strength.

Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy: from atomic imaging and analysis to solving energy problems

2009 ◽  
Vol 367 (1903) ◽  
pp. 3709-3733 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Pennycook ◽  
M. F. Chisholm ◽  
A. R. Lupini ◽  
M. Varela ◽  
A. Y. Borisevich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽  
Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽  
Single Atom ◽  
Scanning Transmission Electron ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Scanning Transmission ◽  
Z Contrast ◽  
Contrast Image ◽  
Aberration Corrected

The new possibilities of aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) extend far beyond the factor of 2 or more in lateral resolution that was the original motivation. The smaller probe also gives enhanced single atom sensitivity, both for imaging and for spectroscopy, enabling light elements to be detected in a Z-contrast image and giving much improved phase contrast imaging using the bright field detector with pixel-by-pixel correlation with the Z-contrast image. Furthermore, the increased probe-forming aperture brings significant depth sensitivity and the possibility of optical sectioning to extract information in three dimensions. This paper reviews these recent advances with reference to several applications of relevance to energy, the origin of the low-temperature catalytic activity of nanophase Au, the nucleation and growth of semiconducting nanowires, and the origin of the eight orders of magnitude increased ionic conductivity in oxide superlattices. Possible future directions of aberration-corrected STEM for solving energy problems are outlined.

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