Moiré fringe imaging of heterostructures by scanning transmission electron microscopy

A heterostructured crystalline bilayer specimen is known to produce moiré fringes (MFs) in the conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM). However, the understanding of how these patterns form in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) remains limited. Here, we extended the double-scattering model to establish the imaging theory of MFs in STEM for a bilayer sample and applied this theory to successfully explain both experimental and simulated STEM images of a perovskite PbZrO3/SrTiO3 system. Our findings demonstrated that the wave vectors of electrons exiting from Layer-1 and their relative positions with the atomic columns of Layer-2 should be taken into account. The atomic column misalignment leads to a faster reduction in the intensity of the secondary scattering beam compared to the single scattering beam as the scattering angle increases. Consequently, the intensity distribution of MFs in the bright field (BF)-STEM can be still described as the product of two single atomic images. However, in high angle annular dark field (HAADF)-STEM, it is approximately described as the superposition of the two images. Our work not only fills a knowledge gap of MFs in incoherent imaging, but also emphasizes the importance of the coherent scattering restricted by the real space when analyzing the HAADF-STEM imaging.

Moiré Fringe Method via Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Moiré fringe, originated from the beating of two sets of lattices, is a commonly observed phenomenon in physics, optics, and materials science. Recently, a new method of creating moiré fringe via scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has been developed to image materials' structures at a large field of view. Moreover, this method shows great advantages in studying atomic structures of beam sensitive materials by significantly reduced electron dose. Here, the development of the STEM moiré fringe (STEM-MF) method is reviewed. The authors first introduce the theory of STEM-MF and then discuss the advances of this technique in combination with geometric phase analysis, annular bright field imaging, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and electron energy loss spectroscopy. Applications of STEM-MF on strain, defects, 2D materials, and beam-sensitive materials are further summarized. Finally, the authors' perspectives on the future directions of STEM-MF are presented.

OUP accepted manuscript

We first review the significance of resolution and contrast in electron microscopy and the effect of the electron optics on these two quantities. We then outline the physics of the generation of secondary electrons (SEs) and their transport and emission from the surface of a specimen. Contrast and resolution are discussed for different kinds of SE imaging in scanning electron microscope (SEM) and scanning-transmission microscope instruments, with some emphasis on the observation of individual atoms and atomic columns in a thin specimen. The possibility of achieving atomic resolution from a bulk specimen at SEM energies is also considered.

Direct measurement of the PSF for Coulomb delocalization - a reconsideration

An interpretation of Coulomb delocalization, which limits the spatial resolution of inelastic TEM or STEM images, is given. We conclude that the corresponding point spread function cannot be measured as a broadening of a STEM probe.

Dose measurement in the TEM and STEM

Practical aspects of dosimetry are considered, including the measurement of electron-beam current and current density. Complications that arise in the case of a focused probe or a STEM image are discussed and solutions proposed. Advantages of expressing the radiation dose in Grays are listed and a simple formula given for converting electron fluence to Gray units, based on a near constancy of the stopping power per atomic electron. Comparisons with stopping-power calculations and EELS measurements suggest that this formula is accurate to within 5%. Based on the stopping power formula, a new way of measuring the local mass-thickness of light-element specimens is proposed. The average energy loss per inelastic collision is shown to be higher than previous expectations.

Analysis of complex, beam-sensitive materials by transmission electron microscopy and associated techniques

We review the use of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and associated techniques for the analysis of beam-sensitive materials and complex, multiphase systems in-situ or close to their native state. We focus on materials prone to damage by radiolysis and explain that this process cannot be eliminated or switched off, requiring TEM analysis to be done within a dose budget to achieve an optimum dose-limited resolution. We highlight the importance of determining the damage sensitivity of a particular system in terms of characteristic changes that occur on irradiation under both an electron fluence and flux by presenting results from a series of molecular crystals. We discuss the choice of electron beam accelerating voltage and detectors for optimizing resolution and outline the different strategies employed for low-dose microscopy in relation to the damage processes in operation. In particular, we discuss the use of scanning TEM (STEM) techniques for maximizing information content from high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy of minerals and molecular crystals. We suggest how this understanding can then be carried forward for in-situ analysis of samples interacting with liquids and gases, provided any electron beam-induced alteration of a specimen is controlled or used to drive a chosen reaction. Finally, we demonstrate that cryo-TEM of nanoparticle samples snap-frozen in vitreous ice can play a significant role in benchmarking dynamic processes at higher resolution. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Dynamic in situ microscopy relating structure and function'.

Cryo-analytical STEM of frozen, aqueous dispersions of nanoparticles

In situ characterisation of nanoparticle dispersion and surface coatings is required to further our understanding of the behaviour of nanoparticles in aqueous suspension. Using cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) it is possible to analyse a nanoparticle suspension in the frozen, hydrated state; however, this analysis is often limited to imaging alone. This work demonstrates the first use of analytical scanning TEM (STEM) in the examination of nanoparticles captured in a layer of vitreous ice. Imaging and analysis of frozen hydrated suspensions by both STEM energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) under cryogenic conditions demonstrates the identification and separation of CeO₂, Fe₂O₃, ZnO and Ag nanoparticles in suspension. Damage caused by the electron beam was shown to occur at far higher electron fluences in STEM (<2000 e^-/Ų) compared to CTEM (<100 e^-/Ų) due to diffusion limited damage by the radiolysis products generated in vitreous ice. Further application of cryo-analytical STEM was undertaken on barium titanate biomarker nanoparticles dispersed in cell culture media to show the formation of a Ca and P rich coating around the nanoparticles when suspended in the media. This previously unreported coating changes the surface chemistry of the biomarkers when exposed to cells. Thus we show that the technique has the potential to advance our understanding of the fundamental behaviour of nanoparticles in complex aqueous suspensions.