Atomic Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy of Surfaces

Abstract

A brief overview of transmission electron microscopy as it applies specifically to obtaining surface crystallographic information is presented. This review will encompass many of the practical aspects of obtaining surface crystal information from a transmission electron microscope, including equipment requirements, experimental techniques, sample preparation methods, data extraction and image processing, and complimentary techniques.

The Fe3O4 origin of the “Biphase” reconstruction on α-Fe2O3(0001)

“…Transmission electron microscopy was performed in the attached Hitachi UHV-H9000 operated at 300 keV; information on using transmission electron microscopy to study surfaces has been given elsewhere [35][36][37][38][39][40]. An in situ test for the presence of magnetism in the single crystal TEM specimens, as a way to empirically identify possible phases, was developed based on the attraction of unfixed specimens to the strong magnetic field of the objective lens of the microscope.…”

What Can Electron Microscopy Tell Us Beyond Crystal Structures?

“…a profile view. [36] However, this characteristic engenders an advantage of HRTEM: not only can the top surface be observed, but also the crystal structures underneath the surface can be imaged. [37] If the surface has a different crystalline phase, the thickness of this layer and its intergrowth with the core crystal can be revealed.…”

A “Thickness Series”: Weak Signal Extraction of ELNES in EELS Spectra From Surfaces

“…Compared to the above methods, a transmission electron microscope (TEM) (Subramanian & Marks, 2004; Chiaramonti & Marks, 2005) provides simultaneous insight into surface patterns and surface reconstruction in real and reciprocal space as well as chemical identification and associated electronic structures through a combination of available imaging, diffraction, and spectroscopic techniques. The surfaces can be directly imaged by the profile imaging technique (Subramanian & Marks, 2004; Shibata et al, 2008) on condition that the surfaces are parallel to the electron beam (i.e., the surfaces are observed “edge-on”).…”

“…Compared to the above methods, a transmission electron microscope~TEM!~Subramanian & Marks, 2004;Chiaramonti & Marks, 2005! provides simultaneous insight into surface patterns and surface reconstruction in real and reciprocal space as well as chemical identification and associated electronic structures through a combination of available imaging, diffraction, and spectroscopic techniques.…”