Abstract: Annular dark-field (ADF) scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has become widely used in quantitative studies based on the opportunity to directly compare experimental and simulated images. This comparison merely requires the experimental data to be normalised and expressed in units of fractional beam-current. However, inhomogeneities in the response of electron detectors can complicate this normalisation. The quantification procedure becomes both experiment and instrument specific, requiring new simulations for the particular response of each instrument's detector, and for every camera-length used. This not only impedes the comparison between different instruments and research groups, but can also be computationally very time consuming. Furthermore, not all image simulation methods allow for the inclusion of an inhomogeneous detector response. In this work, we propose an alternative method for normalising experimental data in order to compare these with simulations that consider a homogeneous detector response. To achieve this, we determine the electron flux distribution reaching the detector by means of a camera-length series or a so-called atomic column cross-section averaged convergent beam electron diffraction (XSACBED) pattern. The result is then used to determine the relative weighting of the detector response. Here we show that the results obtained by this new electron flux weighted (EFW) method are comparable to the currently used method, while considerably simplifying the needed simulation libraries. The proposed method also allows one to obtain a metric that describes the quality of the detector response in comparison with the ideal detector response.

Abstract: The recently discovered EMCD technique (energy loss magnetic chiral dichroism) can detect atom specific magnetic moments with nanometer resolution, exploiting the spin selectivity of electronic transitions in energy loss spectroscopy. Yet, direct imaging of magnetic moments on the atomic scale is not possible. In this paper we present an extension of EMCD that can overcome this limit. As a model system we chose bcc Fe. We present image simulations of the L3 white line signal, based on the kinetic equation for the density matrix of the 200 kV probe electron. With actual progress in instrumentation (high brightness sources, aberration corrected lenses) this technique should allow direct imaging of spin moments on the atomic scale.

Abstract: We present a new method to measure structure factors from electron spot diffraction patterns recorded under almost parallel illumination in transmission electron microscopes. Bloch wave refinement routines have been developed to refine the crystal thickness, its orientation and structure factors by comparison of experimentally recorded and calculated intensities. Our method requires a modicum of computational effort, making it suitable for contemporary personal computers. Frozen lattice and Bloch wave simulations of GaAs diffraction patterns are used to derive optimised experimental conditions. Systematic errors are estimated from the application of the method to simulated diffraction patterns and rules for the recognition of physically reasonable initial refinement conditions are derived. The method is applied to the measurement of the 200 structure factor for GaAs. We found that the influence of inelastically scattered electrons is negligible. Additionally, we measured the 200 structure factor from zero loss filtered two-dimensional convergent beam electron diffraction patterns. The precision of both methods is found to be comparable and the results agree well with each other. A deviation of more than 20% from isolated atom scattering data is observed, whereas close agreement is found with structure factors obtained from density functional theory [A. Rosenauer, M. Schowalter, F. Glas, D. Lamoen, Phys. Rev. B 72 (2005), 085326-1], which account for the redistribution of electrons due to chemical bonding via modified atomic scattering amplitudes.

Abstract: Principal component analysis (PCA) noise filtering is a popular method to remove noise from experimental electron energy loss (EELS) spectrum images. Here, we investigate the statistical behaviour of this method by applying it on a simulated data set with realistic noise levels. This phantom data set provides access to the true values contained in the data set as well as to many different realizations of the noise. Using least squares fitting and parameter estimation theory, we demonstrate that even though the precision on the estimated parameters can be better as the CramérRao lower bound, a significant bias is introduced which can alter the conclusions drawn from experimental data sets. The origin of this bias is in the incorrect retrieval of the principal loadings for noisy data. Using an expression for the bias and precision of the singular values from literature, we present an evaluation criterion for these singular values based on the noise level and the amount of information present in the data set. This criterion can help to judge when to avoid PCA noise filtering in practical situations. Further we show that constructing elemental maps of PCA noise filtered data using the background subtraction method, does not guarantee an increase in the signal to noise ratio due to correlation of the spectral data as a result of the filtering process.

Abstract: A powerful method to study carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown in patterned substrates for potential interconnects applications is transmission electron microscopy (TEM). However, high-quality TEM samples are necessary for such a study. Here, TEM specimen preparation by focused ion beam (FIB) has been used to obtain lamellae of patterned samples containing CNTs grown inside contact holes. A dual-cap Pt protection layer and an extensive 5 kV cleaning procedure are applied in order to preserve the CNTs and avoid deterioration during milling. TEM results show that the inner shell structure of the carbon nanotubes has been preserved, which proves that focused ion beam is a useful technique to prepare TEM samples of CNT interconnects.

Abstract: We present energy filtered holography experiments on a thin foil of Al. By propagating the reduced density matrix of the probe electron through the microscope, we quantitatively predict the fringe contrast as a function of energy loss. Fringe contrast simulations include the effect of Fresnel fringes created at the edges of the defocused biprism, the effect of partial coherence in combination with inelastic scattering, and the effect of a finite energy distribution of the incoming beam. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: In thispaperweinvestigatewhichprobesizemaximizesthethroughputwhenmeasuringtheradiusof nanoparticlesinhighangleannulardarkfieldscanningtransmissionelectronmicroscopy(HAADFSTEM). The sizeandthecorrespondingcurrentoftheelectronprobedeterminetheprecisionoftheestimateofa particlesradius.Maximizingthroughputmeansthatamaximumnumberofparticlesshouldbeimaged withinagiventimeframe,sothataprespecifiedprecisionisattained.WeshowthatBayesianstatistical experimentaldesignisaveryusefulapproachtodeterminetheoptimalprobesizeusingacertainamount of priorknowledgeaboutthesample.Thedependenceoftheoptimalprobesizeonthedetectorgeometry and thediameter,variabilityandatomicnumberoftheparticlesisinvestigated.Anexpressionforthe optimalprobesizeintheabsenceofanykindofpriorknowledgeaboutthespecimenisderivedaswell.

Abstract: We present the ASTRA Toolbox as an open platform for 3D image reconstruction in tomography. Most of the software tools that are currently used in electron tomography offer limited flexibility with respect to the geometrical parameters of the acquisition model and the algorithms used for reconstruction. The ASTRA Toolbox provides an extensive set of fast and flexible building blocks that can be used to develop advanced reconstruction algorithms, effectively removing these limitations. We demonstrate this flexibility, the resulting reconstruction quality, and the computational efficiency of this toolbox by a series of experiments, based on experimental dual-axis tilt series.

Abstract: It is very challenging to measure the chemical composition of hetero nanostructures in a reliable and quantitative manner. Here, we propose a novel and straightforward approach that can be used to quantify energy dispersive X-ray spectra acquired in a transmission electron microscope. Our method is based on a combination of electron tomography and the so-called ζ-factor technique. We will demonstrate the reliability of our approach as well as its applicability by investigating Au-Ag and Au-Pt hetero nanostructures. Given its simplicity, we expect that the method could become a new standard in the field of chemical characterization using electron microscopy.

Abstract: The recent discovery of electron vortex beams carrying quantised angular momentum in the TEM has led to an active field of research, exploring a variety of potential applications including the possibility of mapping magnetic states at the atomic scale. A prerequisite for this is the availability of atomic sized electron vortex beams at high beam current and mode purity. In this paper we present recent progress showing that by making use of the Aharonov-Bohm effect near the tip of a long single domain ferromagnetic Nickel needle, a very efficient aperture for the production of electron vortex beams can be realised. The aperture transmits more than 99% of all electrons and provides a vortex mode purity of up to 92%. Placing this aperture in the condenser plane of a state of the art Cs corrected microscope allows us to demonstrate atomic resolution HAADF STEM images with spatial resolution better than 1 Angstrom, in agreement with theoretical expectations and only slightly inferior to the performance of a non-vortex probe on the same instrument.

Abstract: Electron tomography is a powerful technique for the 3D characterization of the morphology of nanostructures. Nevertheless, resolving the chemical composition of complex nanostructures in 3D remains challenging and the number of studies in which electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) is combined with tomography is limited. During the last decade, dedicated reconstruction algorithms have been developed for HAADF-STEM tomography using prior knowledge about the investigated sample. Here, we will use the prior knowledge that the experimental spectrum of each reconstructed voxel is a linear combination of a well-known set of references spectra in a so-called direct spectroscopic tomography technique. Based on a simulation experiment, it is shown that this technique provides superior results in comparison to conventional reconstruction methods for spectroscopic data, especially for spectrum images containing a relatively low signal to noise ratio. Next, this technique is used to investigate the spatial distribution of Fe dopants in Fe:Ceria nanoparticles in 3D. It is shown that the presence of the Fe2+ dopants is correlated with a reduction of the Ce atoms from Ce4+ towards Ce3+. In addition, it is demonstrated that most of the Fe dopants are located near the voids inside the nanoparticle.

Abstract: In the present paper, the optimal detector design is investigated for both detecting and locating light atoms from high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HR STEM) images. The principles of detection theory are used to quantify the probability of error for the detection of light atoms from HR STEM images. To determine the optimal experiment design for locating light atoms, use is made of the so-called Cramer-Rao Lower Bound (CRLB). It is investigated if a single optimal design can be found for both the detection and location problem of light atoms. Furthermore, the incoming electron dose is optimised for both research goals and it is shown that picometre range precision is feasible for the estimation of the atom positions when using an appropriate incoming electron dose under the optimal detector settings to detect light atoms.