Alternative scan strategies for high resolution STEM imaging

Currently, a large variety of materials are studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as it offers the possibility to perform structural and elemental analysis at a local scale. Relatively recent advances in aberration correctors and electron sources allow the instrument to achieve atomic resolution. Along with these advances, a state-of-the-art technology has been reached in TEM. However, the instrument is far from being perfect and imperfections or external sources can make the interpretation of information troublesome. Environmental factors such as acoustic and mechanical vibrations, temperature fluctuations, etc., can induce sample drift and create image distortions. These distortions are enhanced in scanning operation because of the serial acquisition of the information, which are more apparent at atomic resolution as small field of views are imaged. In addition, scanning distortions are induced due to the finite time response of the scan coils. These types of distortions would reduce precision in atomic-scale strain analysis, for instance, in semiconductors. Most of the efforts to correct these distortions are focused on data processing techniques post-acquisition. Another limitation in TEM is beam damage effects. Beam damage arises because of the energy transferred to the sample in electron-sample interactions. In scanning TEM, at atomic resolution, the increased electron charge density (electron dose) carried on a sub-Å size electron probe may aggravate beam damage effects. Soft materials such as zeolites, organic, biological materials, etc., can be destroyed under irradiation limiting the amount of information that can be acquired. Current efforts to circumvent beam damage are mostly based on low electron dose acquisitions and data processing methods to maximize the signal at low dose conditions. In this thesis, a different approach is given to address drift and scanning distortions, as well as beam damage effects. Novel scan strategies are proposed for that purpose, which are shown to substantially overcome these issues compared to the standard scan method in TEM.

Jaar van publicatie:2021

Trefwoorden:Doctoral thesis

Toegankelijkheid:Open