Sub-nanometer-scale mapping of crystal orientation and depth-dependent structure of dislocation cores in SrTiO3

Abstract

Defects in crystals play a fundamental role in modulating mechanical, electrical, luminescent, and magnetic behaviors of materials. However, accurate measurement of defect structures is hindered by symmetry breaking and the corresponding complex modifications in atomic configuration and/or crystal tilt at the defects. Here, we report the deep-sub-angstrom resolution imaging of dislocation cores via multislice electron ptychography with adaptive propagator, which allows sub-nanometer scale mapping of crystal tilt in the vicinity of dislocation cores and simultaneous recovery of depth-dependent atomic structure of dislocations. The realization of deep-sub-angstrom resolution and depth-dependent imaging of defects shows great potential in revealing microstructures and properties of real materials and devices.

Defect-induced helicity dependent terahertz emission in Dirac semimetal PtTe2 thin films

“…With the unique deep-sub-angstrom resolution and low-electron doses, electron ptychography is a powerful tool to obtain images of single-atom defects and their depth-dependent distribution in various material systems, such as MoS 2 , PrScO 3 , zeolites, and SrTiO 3 39 – 42 . To image defects at the sub-nanometer precision in PtTe 2 films, multislice electron ptychography with adaptive-propagator (Fig.…”

Emerging transmission electron microscopy solutions for electrocatalysts: from synthesis to deactivation

“…12b). 188 Due to the inherent partial coherence of electron beams, correct calculation of the partial coherence of electron beams is a prerequisite for high-quality structure reconstruction. Chen et al 189 proposed to decompose the probe wave function into a linear combination of pure states and demonstrated on the model system of MoS 2 /WS 2 .…”

Achieving sub-0.5-angstrom–resolution ptychography in an uncorrected electron microscope

“…Even with ptychography, however, uncorrected tools have not reached the important benchmark of subangstrom resolution, where they would meet or exceed the conventional resolution of aberration-corrected STEMs. Instead, despite its theoretical possibility, subangstrom and deep subangstrom ptychography has so far only been achieved in aberration-corrected STEMs (10,11,(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32). This difference has persisted for more than 5 years since the first demonstration of deep subangstrom ptychography.…”