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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Picometer-Precision Atomic Position Tracking through Electron Microscopy
Published on: July 3, 2021
Statistical estimation of atomic positions from exit wave reconstruction with a precision in the picometer range
Sara Bals1, Sandra Van Aert, Gustaaf Van Tendeloo
1Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT), University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium. Sara.Bals@ua.ac.be
Abstract:
The local structure of Bi4W2/3Mn1/3O8Cl is determined using quantitative transmission electron microscopy. The electron exit wave, which is closely related to the projected crystal potential, is reconstructed and used as a starting point for statistical parameter estimation. This method allows us to refine all atomic positions on a local scale, including those of the light atoms, with a precision in the picometer range. Using this method one is no longer restricted to the information limit of the electron microscope. Our results are in good agreement with x-ray powder diffraction data demonstrating the reliability of the method. Moreover, it will be shown that local effects can be interpreted using this approach.
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