Electron ptychography achieves atomic-resolution limits set by lattice vibrations

Abstract

Transmission electron microscopes use electrons with wavelengths of a few picometers, potentially capable of imaging individual atoms in solids at a resolution ultimately set by the intrinsic size of an atom. However, owing to lens aberrations and multiple scattering of electrons in the sample, the image resolution is reduced by a factor of 3 to 10. By inversely solving the multiple scattering problem and overcoming the electron-probe aberrations using electron ptychography, we demonstrate an instrumental blurring of less than 20 picometers and a linear phase response in thick samples. The measured widths of atomic columns are limited by thermal fluctuations of the atoms. Our method is also capable of locating embedded atomic dopant atoms in all three dimensions with subnanometer precision from only a single projection measurement.

Structural Phase Transition and In-Situ Energy Storage Pathway in Nonpolar Materials: A Review

“…However, even using a state-of-the-art imaging detector such as the K3 camera which is capable of collecting 1500 data frames per second (0.67 ms per frame), the mis match in time remains due to the requirement of sufficient signal intensity and imag contrast for data analysis. Thus far, several advanced imaging techniques have been used to image light elements, e.g., negative spherical aberration imaging (NCSI) [128][129][130], an nular bright field (ABF) imaging [131], integrated differential phase contrast (iDPC) im aging [132,133] and electron ptychography [134]. Despite this, imaging light element such as oxygen under in situ biasing conditions remains a challenge due to their very low scattering power.…”

Shaping of Electron Beams Using Sculpted Thin Films

“…It was proposed more than 50 years ago 81 but was not widely adopted in electron microscopy until the recent introduction of fast detectors, despite several historical demonstrations. 82 , 83 As a result of the development of improved reconstruction algorithms, ptychography has been developed in several directions, in order to overcome the diffraction-limited resolution, 73 , 84 to reduce the electron dose budget, 85 , 86 and to extend the technique to 3D imaging. 84 , 87 A defocused nm-sized probe is usually used to sample real space efficiently, while providing inhomogeneous sampling in reciprocal space.…”

“… 82 , 83 As a result of the development of improved reconstruction algorithms, ptychography has been developed in several directions, in order to overcome the diffraction-limited resolution, 73 , 84 to reduce the electron dose budget, 85 , 86 and to extend the technique to 3D imaging. 84 , 87 A defocused nm-sized probe is usually used to sample real space efficiently, while providing inhomogeneous sampling in reciprocal space. Alternatively, a structured electron probe with random phase vortices 88 can be used to produce a nm-sized probe for real space sampling, while remaining in focus and providing a range of incident beam angles at the same time.…”

Probing Multiscale Disorder in Pyrochlore and Related Complex Oxides in the Transmission Electron Microscope: A Review

“…Many variations of 4D-STEM exist, for example, to map electromagnetic fields ( Hachtel et al, 2018 ). Other applications aim to increase the sensitivity to light elements ( Hachtel et al, 2018 ; Ahmed et al, 2020 ) and to retrieve lost electron-wave phase information to achieve super-resolutions ( Jiang et al, 2018 ; Chen et al, 2021 ). A detailed account of the various 4D-STEM methods can be found in ( Ophus, 2019 ).…”