< Back to previous page

Project

A hybrid approach towards atomic resolution electron tomography in nanostructured materials.

Knowledge on the 3 dimensional structure and composition of nanomaterials at the atomic scale is indispensable when one wants to understand the physical properties of nanostructures in comparison to their bulk counterparts. Several groups have therefore dedicated a lot of effort towards reaching atomic resolution in 3 dimensions by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), but most studies remain theoretical or present experimental results which are not yet convincing. In most of these studies one specific TEM technique is selected, but in my project, I propose to combine different state-of-the-art TEM techniques and to exploit the information they can deliver as much as possible. Such a hybrid approach defines a complete new path on the route towards atomic resolution tomography. I will combine a limited number of in zone-axis projections, yielding atomic resolution, with a full tilt series of projections acquired at lower magnifications. Furthermore, I will expand the so-called "depth sectioning technique" to push its resolution to the sub nanometer level. Beam damage will be kept at a strict minimum by operating an aberration corrected TEM at low acceleration voltage. This will allow me to study the 3D atomic structure of core-shell particles and interfaces present in assemblies of nanocrystals.
Date:1 Oct 2010 →  30 Sep 2012
Keywords:TOMOGRAPHY, NANOCRYSTALS
Disciplines:Condensed matter physics and nanophysics