Nanoscale 3D Chemical Mapping by Spectroscopic Electron Tomography

Abstract

ABSTRACTElectron Tomography is shown to be applicable to problems of materials science if a contrast mechanism is used which provides a projection relationship for crystals not depending on lattice plane orientation. Energy filtered TEM (EFTEM) in its mode of electron spectroscopic imaging (ESI) and STEM-EDX-Mapping are, subject to limitations, suitable image formation techniques. The spectroscopic operation not only allows to overcome Bragg scattering artefacts, but offers the possibility of recording 4-dimensional data (volume and energy) of a region of interest, otherwise only known from NMR and XAS/XANES tomography at larger length-scales and from field-ion microscopy (atom probe) under restrictive conditions.