Publication
Title
Control of knock-on damage for 3D atomic scale quantification of nanostructures : making every electron count in scanning transmission electron microscopy
Author
Abstract
Understanding nanostructures down to the atomic level is the key to optimizing the design of advanced materials with revolutionary novel properties. This requires characterization methods capable of quantifying the three-dimensional (3D) atomic structure with the highest possible precision. A successful approach to reach this goal is to count the number of atoms in each atomic column from 2D annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy images. To count atoms with single atom sensitivity, a minimum electron dose has been shown to be necessary, while on the other hand beam damage, induced by the high energy electrons, puts a limit on the tolerable dose. An important challenge is therefore to develop experimental strategies to optimize the electron dose by balancing atom-counting fidelity vs the risk of knock-on damage. To achieve this goal, a statistical framework combined with physics-based modeling of the dose-dependent processes is here proposed and experimentally verified. This model enables an investigator to theoretically predict, in advance of an experimental measurement, the optimal electron dose resulting in an unambiguous quantification of nanostructures in their native state with the highest attainable precision.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Physical review letters. - New York, N.Y., 1958, currens
Publication
New York, N.Y. : American Physical Society , 2019
ISSN
0031-9007 [print]
1079-7114 [online]
DOI
10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.122.066101
Volume/pages
122 :6 (2019) , 6 p.
Article Reference
066101
ISI
000458824200008
Pubmed ID
30822049
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
Picometer metrology for light-element nanostructures: making every electron count (PICOMETRICS).
Compressed sensing enabling low dose imaging in transmission electron microscopy.
Dose-efficient fusion of imaging and analytical techniques in scanning transmission electron microscopy.
Three-dimensional atomic modelling of functional nanocrystalline structures from a single viewing direction.
ESTEEM 2 - Enabling science and technology through European electron microscopy.
Smart strategies to break the beam damage limits in transmission electron microscopy.
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 18.02.2019
Last edited 02.10.2024
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