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Phase-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy.

Hiroki Minoda1, Takayuki Tamai2, Hirofumi Iijima3

  • 1Department of Applied Physics, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan hminoda@cc.tuat.ac.jp.

Microscopy (Oxford, England)
|March 10, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Phase-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (P-STEM) enhances image contrast using a novel phase plate. This technique improves the visibility of weak phase objects in electron microscopy.

Keywords:
RonchigramSTEMcontrast transfer functionphase contrastphase platethe principles of reciprocity

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Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Materials Science
  • Electron Microscopy

Background:

  • Phase contrast is crucial for imaging weak phase objects.
  • Traditional methods in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) offer phase contrast.
  • Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) traditionally lacks inherent phase contrast.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce and evaluate phase-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (P-STEM).
  • To demonstrate the application of a carbon-film phase plate (PP) in STEM.
  • To enhance phase contrast in STEM imaging.

Main Methods:

  • Implementation of a carbon-film phase plate (PP) in the condenser aperture plane of a STEM.
  • Utilizing interference between phase-shifted scattered waves and unshifted unscattered waves.
  • Analysis of Ronchigrams from a silicon single crystal specimen to verify phase shift.

Main Results:

  • A cosine-type phase-contrast transfer function was achieved in P-STEM.
  • The optical performance of P-STEM was found to be identical to phase-contrast TEM.
  • A phase shift of π was confirmed at the edge of the PP hole using interference fringes.

Conclusions:

  • Phase plates effectively enhance phase contrast in STEM imaging.
  • P-STEM offers a viable method for high-contrast imaging of weak phase objects.
  • The developed P-STEM technique shows significant potential for materials characterization.