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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Single-Digit Nanometer Electron-Beam Lithography with an Aberration-Corrected Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope
Published on: September 14, 2018
Nanoscale scanning transmission electron tomography
P A Midgley1, M Weyland, T J V Yates
1Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK. pam33@cam.ac.uk
Scanning transmission electron microscopy-based tomography offers nanometre resolution for 3D materials science. This review highlights its power for nanoscale imaging and reconstruction.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Microscopy
Background:
- Electron tomography provides 3D structural information at the nanoscale.
- Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is well-suited for tomographic reconstruction due to its imaging characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review scanning transmission electron microscopy-based electron tomography.
- To illustrate the capabilities of STEM tomography in materials science.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing scanning transmission electron microscopy for image acquisition.
- Applying electron tomographic reconstruction algorithms to STEM datasets.
- Analyzing nanoscale features in three dimensions.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated high atomic number contrast in STEM images.
- Showcased minimal coherent diffraction effects beneficial for reconstruction.
- Presented examples of nanoscale structures studied using STEM tomography.
Conclusions:
- STEM-based electron tomography is a powerful technique for 3D nanoscale analysis in materials science.
- The technique provides critical insights into the structure of materials at the nanoscale.
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