Current quantitative X-ray microanalysis methods are only available for homogeneous materials. This paper presents a newly developed inverse modeling algorithm to determine both the structure and composition of two-dimensional (2D) heterogeneous materials from a series of X-ray intensity measurements under different beam energies and beam positions. It utilizes an iterative process of forward modeling

The realization of chromatic aberration correction enables energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) at atomic resolution even for large energy windows. Previous works have demonstrated lattice contrast from ionization-edge signals such as the L2,3 edges of silicon or titanium. However, the direct interpretation as chemical information was found to be hampered by contributions from elastic

Deep learning algorithms are one of most rapid developing fields into the modern computation technologies. One of the bottlenecks into the implementation of such advaced algorithms is their requirement for a large amount of manually-labelled data for training. For the general-purpose tasks, such as general purpose image classification/detection the huge images datasets are already labelled and collected

Tensor singular value decomposition (SVD) is a method to find a low-dimensional representation of data with meaningful structure in three or more dimensions. Tensor SVD has been applied to denoise atomic-resolution 4D scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D STEM) data. On data simulated from a SrTiO3 [100] perfect crystal and a Si [110] edge dislocation, tensor SVD achieved an average peak signal-to-noise

Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Diffraction Contrast Imaging (STEM-DCI) has been gaining popularity for the identification and analysis of dislocations in crystalline materials due to its ability to supress undesirable image features that are often present in conventional TEM images. However, there does not yet exist a robust body of work demonstrating expected contrast in these imaging conditions

A method of calculating the magnitude of the core hole screening of lithium materials is implemented for the simulation of Energy Loss Near Edge Structure (ELNES). ELNES is calculated for a range of lithium materials resulting in improved agreement between calculation and experiment. The technique uses linear response theory to relate the electron density to the core hole shielding contribution from

With nanostructured materials such as catalytic heterostructures projected to play a critical role in applications ranging from water splitting to energy harvesting, tailoring their properties to specific tasks requires an increasingly comprehensive characterization of their local chemical and electronic landscape. Although aberration corrected electron spectroscopy currently provides sufficient spatial

The electron emission model of a negative electron affinity graded-bandgap AlGaAs/GaAs electron-injection cathode was developed from two-dimensional continuity equations. The emission current was obtained from a simulation of the model, and the emission current efficiency and emission current per unit length were calculated. Based on the simulation results and preparation conditions, the range of optimum

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is widely used for nano-dimensional metrology in semiconductor manufacturing and metrological system. However, the conventional AFM can't provide accurate CD characterization of nanostructures, due to its top-down configuration and probe-size effect. In this paper, we develop a dual-probe atomic force microscopy (DPAFM). Compared to conventional optical-lever based AFM

Differential phase contrast (DPC) imaging in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) allows for measuring electric and magnetic fields in solids on scales ranging from picometres to micrometres. The DPC technique mainly uses the direct beam, which is deflected by the electric and magnetic fields of the specimen and measured with a beam position sensitive detector. The beam deflection and thus

Lattice strain measurement of nanoscale semiconductor devices is crucial for the semiconductor industry as strain substantially improves the electrical performance of transistors. High resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HR-STEM) imaging is an excellent tool that provides spatial resolution at the atomic scale and strain information by applying Geometric Phase Analysis or image fitting

Magnetic induction mapping in the transmission electron microscope using phase contrast techniques such as off-axis electron holography and differential phase contrast imaging often requires the separation of the magnetic contribution to the recorded signal from the electrostatic contribution. When using off-axis electron holography, one of the experimental approaches that can be used to achieve this

It is well known that dynamical diffraction varies with changes in sample thickness and local crystal orientation (due to sample bending). In differential phase contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (DPC-STEM), this can produce contrast comparable to that arising from the long-range electromagnetic fields probed by this technique. Through simulation we explore the scale of these dynamical

Focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy tomography (FIB/SEM tomography) is the method of choice for the tomographic reconstruction of mesoporous materials systems in various fields such as batteries, fuel cells, filter applications or composite materials. However, due to so called shine-through artifacts in FIB/SEM tomographies of porous materials, their segmentation into pore space and solid

Recent advancement in aberration correction and detector technology opened a door to various applications using 4D-STEM, which yields a diffraction pattern for each scanning position within a crystal unit-cell in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and generates incredible amounts of data in momentum space. Currently 4D-STEM analysis relies on the center-of-mass of the diffraction patterns

Extracting different spectral components and their corresponding concentrations from spectrum images is one of the key challenges for electron energy-loss spectroscopy analysis due to the large amount of data, differing spectral features and low signal-to-noise ratio. Here, an open-source software framework of hyperspectral unmixing for energy-loss near-edge fine structure analysis is proposed. This

Orientation mapping of quasicrystalline materials is demonstrated using crystalline approximant structures in the technique of electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The approximant-based orientations are symmetrised according to the rotational point group of the quasicrystal, including the visualization of orientation maps using proper colour keys for quasicrystal symmetries. Alternatively, approximant-based

The relative roles of multiple electron scattering and in-molecule Fresnel diffraction in atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy of small molecules are discussed. It is argued that, while multiple scattering tends to have only a moderate effect, the in-molecule Fresnel diffraction can be significant due to the shallow depth of focus in high-resolution electron microscopy. When the depth

Modern direct electron detectors (DEDs) provided a giant leap in the use of cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to study the structures of macromolecules and complexes thereof. However, the currently available commercial DEDs, all based on the monolithic active pixel sensor, still require relative long exposure times and their best results have only been obtained at 300 keV. There is a need for

Electron microscopy is a powerful tool for visualizing the shapes of sub-nanometer objects. However, Contrast Transfer Function (CTF) principally restricts lower frequency components in the image. To overcome this problem, phase-plate techniques have been proposed and currently Hole Free Phase Plate (HFPP) and Volta Phase Plate (VPP) are widely used especially for biological specimens to retrieve low

A quantitative understanding of the effect of the spatial distribution and density of lattice defects on the electron backscatter diffraction patterns requires careful consideration of the electron-matter interaction volume and the traction free boundary condition on the deformation field for near-surface defects. In this work, we couple a depth-specific dynamical electron scattering simulation with

The Fowler – Nordheim (FN) plot behavior is investigated for field emitted electrons from virtual carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-based large area field emitters (LAFEs) arrays. The field emission currents are calculated using the Murphy-Good field emission equation assuming emission from two sets of geometrically-different CNTs. No screening effects are considered in the calculations. The FN plots nonlinear

The spatial correlation between defects in crystalline materials and trace element segregation plays a fundamental role in determining the physical and mechanical properties of a material, which is particularly important in naturally deformed materials. Herein, we combine electron backscatter diffraction, electron channelling contrast imaging, scanning transmission electron microscopy and atom probe

Modern high-resolution scanning electron microscopes (SEM), equipped with field emission guns (FEGs), designed to operate at low acceleration voltage, have opened new opportunities to study conductive or insulating systems, without conductive coating. Better electron sources, optics, vacuum, and detectors allow high-resolution SEM to serve as a powerful characterization and analytical tool, and provide

This paper demonstrates an improved method to accurately extract the surface morphology of black silicon (BSi). The method is based on an automated Xe+ plasma focused ion beam (PFIB) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) tomography technique. A comprehensive new sample preparation method is described and shown to minimize the PFIB artifacts induced by both the top surface sample-PFIB interaction and

Phase plates (PPs) are beneficial devices to improve the phase contrast of life-science objects in cryo-transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The development of the hole-free (HF) PP, which consists of a thin carbon film, has led to impressive results due to its ease in fabrication, implementation and application. However, the phase shift of the HFPP can be controlled only indirectly. The electrostatic

The Volta Phase Plate (VPP) consists of a heated, thin film that is placed in the same plane as the focused diffraction pattern of an electron microscope. A change in surface potential develops at the point irradiated by the intense, unscattered electron beam, and this altered surface potential produces, in turn, a phase shift between the unscattered and scattered parts of the electron wave. While

In situ environmental transmission electron microscopy (ETEM) is a powerful tool for observing structural modifications taking place in heterogeneous catalysts under reaction conditions. However, to strengthen the link between catalyst structure and functionality, an operando measurement must be performed in which reaction kinetics and catalyst structure are simultaneously determined. To determine

Local electrical properties of thin films of the polymer PTB7 are studied by conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM). Non-uniform nanoscale current distribution in the neat PTB7 film is revealed and connected with the existence of ordered PTB7 crystallites. The shape of local I-V curves is explained by the presence of space charge limited current. We modify an existing semi-empirical model for estimation

Fracturing microscale constrictions in metallic wires, such as tungsten, platinum, or platinum-iridium, is a common fabrication method used to produce atomically sharp tips for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), field-emission microscopy and field ion microscopy. Typically, a commercial polycrystalline drawn wire is locally thinned and then fractured by means of a dislocation slip inside the constriction

The circularly polarized cathodoluminescence (CL) technique has been used to study the free spin-polarized electron injection in semiconductor heterostructures with quantum wells (QWs). A polarized electron beam was created by the emission of optically oriented electrons from the p-GaAs(Cs,O) negative electron affinity (NEA) photocathode. The prepared beam was injected in a semiconductor QW target

We present a mechanical rotatable magnetic force microscope (MFM) with precise angle control that can be operated in a 7 T superconducting magnet. An inertial piezoelectric motor called a SpiderDrive was used for the coarse approach because of its high compactness, high rigidity, and small size. Due to the mechanical rotation design, the MFM head can be rotated in a 7 T superconducting magnet with

We introduce a fast and facile approach to transfer thin films and other mechanically sensitive TEM samples inside a FIB with minimal introduction of stress and bending. The method is making use of a pre-synthetized flexible freestanding Ag nanowire attached to the tip of a typical tungsten micromanipulator inside the FIB. The main advantages of this approach are the significantly reduced stress-induced

A piezoelectric force sensor is suggested for magnetic force microscopy (MFM) purposes. Added between the piezoelectric resonator and the magnetic probe is a mechanical force amplifier in the form of a thin, long resonant arm with an integral micro-rod whereby the amplitude of the force acting on the probe is amplified by a factor of 20 to 40 at a low noise level. When the sensor was operated in air

The nanometer-scale spatial distributions of local thickness or composition of noncrystalline materials are generally measured by spectroscopy with scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Since spectroscopy requires a high electron dose and causes irradiation damage, alternative non-spectroscopic methods are required to measure the local thickness or composition of electron-sensitive noncrystalline

Imaging nanoscale features using transmission electron microscopy is key to predicting and assessing the mechanical behavior of structural materials in nuclear reactors. Analyzing these micrographs is often a tedious and labour intensive manual process. It is a prime candidate for automation. Here, a region-based convolutional neural network is adapted to detect helium bubbles in micrographs of neutron-irradiated

Strain and geometric necessary dislocations (GNDs) have been mapped with nm-resolution around grain boundaries affected by stress corrosion cracking (SCC) or intergranular oxidation with the aim of clarifying which local conditions that trigger SCC initiation of Alloy 600 in primary water reactor (PWR) water environment. Regions studied included the cracked and uncracked portion of the same SCC-affected

Three-dimensional (3D) micro- and nanostructural characterization using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electron–solid interaction simulations (ESIS) has attracted broad interest in various research fields. However, 3D SEM-ESIS still faces key challenges in characterizing and modelling complex microstructures. In this paper, a new grid-based simulation scheme is developed to enable ESIS of complex

We outline a simple routine to correct for non-uniformities in the energy dispersion of a post-column electron energy-loss spectrometer for use in scanning transmission electron microscopy. We directly measure the dispersion and its variations by sweeping a spectral feature across the full camera to produce a calibration that can be used to linearize datasets post-acquisition, without the need for

We characterize a hybrid pixel direct detector and demonstrate its suitability for electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). The detector has a large dynamic range, narrow point spread function, detective quantum efficiency ≥ 0.8 even without single electron arrival discrimination, and it is resilient to radiation damage. It is capable of detecting ~5 × 106 electrons/pixel/second, allowing it to accommodate

Large area electron microscopy (EM) imaging has long been difficult due to fundamental limits in throughput for conventional electron microscopes. New developments in transmission electron microscopy and multi-beam scanning electron microscopy (MBSEM) imaging have however made it possible to generate large EM datasets [1], [2], [3]. This article describes a transmission imaging technique that is suitable

Electron beams can acquire designed phase modulations by passing through nanostructured material phase plates. These phase modulations enable electron wavefront shaping and benefit electron microscopy, spectroscopy, lithography, and interferometry. However, in the fabrication of electron phase plates, the typically used focused-ion-beam-milling method limits the fabrication throughput and hence the

Trajectory displacement due to statistical Coulomb interactions can play a major role in determining the performance of a charged particle beam system. Accurate estimation of the trajectory displacement is thus an important part of the design procedure of such an optical system. Traditionally, there are three approaches to determine the trajectory displacement: Monte Carlo simulation, the slice method

We present options for visualizing contrast maps in 3D ion transmission experiments. Simultaneous measurement of angular distributions and flight time of ions transmitted through self-supporting, single-crystalline silicon foils allows for mapping of intensity and different energy loss moments. The transmitted projectiles were detected mainly for random beam-sample orientation using pulsed beams of

Reducing ion beam damage from the focused ion beam (FIB) during fabrication of cross sections is a well-known challenge for materials characterization, especially cross sectional characterization of nanostructures. To address this, a new method has been developed for cross section fabrication enabling high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of 3-D nanostructures free of surrounding

We describe a new approach for preparing organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells for electron beam-induced current (EBIC) measurements in plan-view geometry. This method substantially reduces sample preparation artefacts, provides good electrical contact and keeps the preparation steps as close as possible to those for real devices. Our EBIC images were acquired simultaneously with annular dark-field

Analysis of metal-organic framework (MOF) structure by electron microscopy and electron diffraction offers an alternative to growing large single crystals for high-resolution X-ray diffraction. However, many MOFs are electron beam-sensitive, which can make structural analysis using high-resolution electron microscopy difficult. In this work we use the microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) method

In electron microscopy, the maximum a posteriori (MAP) probability rule has been introduced as a tool to determine the most probable atomic structure from high-resolution annular dark-field (ADF) scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) images exhibiting low contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Besides ADF imaging, STEM can also be applied in the annular bright-field (ABF) regime. The ABF STEM mode

Local electromagnetic fields in a specimen is measured at high spatial resolutions using differential phase contrast (DPC) imaging in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). According to previous studies, DPC signals can be quantified by measuring the center of mass of the diffraction pattern intensity and/or performing a deconvolution method based on a phase contrast transfer function (PCTF)

Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) combined with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) has become a standard technique to map localized surface plasmon resonances with a nanometer spatial and a sufficient energy resolution over the last 15 years. However, no experimental work discussing the influence of experimental conditions during the measurement has been published up to now. We

Coherent modulation imaging (CMI) has been shown to be an effective lensless diffraction approach to imaging general extended samples with fast algorithmic convergence and high robustness to data imperfection. In the reported phasing algorithms of CMI, an exact knowledge of modulator is used as a priori. Extra characterization of the modulator is thus required before the CMI experiments are conducted

The thickness of an object will, at some point, exceed the depth of field of a transmission electron microscope; the value at which this occurs, depends on the resolution and the wavelength considered. An image is then no longer a true projection of the 3D structure. This effect will be expressed in the power spectrum. Here, we first demonstrate this phenomenon experimentally, using carbon foils of

Abbe theory of image formation can be expanded from two-dimensional to three-dimensional space. It has to consider an optical system that forms an image of a grating in an object space. It is possible to introduce various inclinations of this grating relatively the optical axis round the axis in the object plane that is parallel to its slits. In this case, the minimum resolvable period and the corresponded

Friedel's law guarantees an inversion-symmetric diffraction pattern for thin, light materials where a kinematic approximation or a single-scattering model holds. Typically, breaking Friedel symmetry is ascribed to multiple scattering events within thick, non-centrosymmetric crystals. However, two-dimensional (2D) materials such as a single monolayer of MoS2 can also violate Friedel's law, with unexpected