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Tomographic Imaging of Nanocrystals by Aberration-Corrected Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Klaus van Benthem
Affiliation:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, One Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831–6031, USA
Yiping Peng
Affiliation:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, One Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831–6031, USA
Stephen J. Pennycook
Affiliation:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, One Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831–6031, USA
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Abstract

In aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy, the depth of focus is of the order of a few nanometers, so that the three-dimensional shape of nanocrystals could so far not be determined with atomic resolution. Here we show that with the assistance of image simulations it is possible to achieve atomic-scale information in the depth direction by analyzing a through-focal series where the number of atoms in most columns can be determined by Z-contrast simulations. The error in this analysis is about two atoms in the thickest regions, and less in thinner regions.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

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References

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