Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 31, 2026

Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography
Published on: March 12, 2017
Large angle illumination enabling accurate structure reconstruction from thick samples in scanning transmission
H G Brown1, R Ishikawa2, G S Anchez-Santolino3
1School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia.
Abstract:
Most reconstructions of the electrostatic potential of a specimen at atomic resolution assume a thin and weakly scattering sample, restricting accurate quantification to specimens only tens of Ångströms thick. We demonstrate that using large-angle-illumination scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM)-a probe forming aperture with convergence angle larger than about 50 mrad-allows us to better meet the weak phase object approximation and thereby accurately reconstruct the electrostatic potential in samples thicker than the order of 100 Å.
Related Concept Videos
Transmission Electron Microscopy
Scanning Electron Microscopy
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy
Electronic Structure of Atoms
An atom comprises protons and neutrons, which are contained inside the dense, central core called the nucleus, with electrons present around the nucleus. Taking into account the wave–particle duality of electrons and the uncertainty in position around the nucleus, quantum mechanics provides a more accurate model for the atomic structure. It describes atomic orbitals as the regions around the nucleus where electrons of discrete energy exist, characterized by four quantum...
Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction
Electron Tomography
Electron tomography can be performed either in TEM or STEM (scanning transmission...
Overview of Electron Microscopy

