Incoherent Imaging of Materials Structure and Composition by Z-Contrast Stem

Abstract

AbstractIt is shown how the use of a high angle annular detector in a STEM provides images which show strong compositional sensitivity and almost perfect incoherent characteristics. No contrast reversals occur with defocus or sample thickness and the contribution of an atomic string is insensitive to the distribution and strength of neighboring strings. The image is best described in real space as a simple convolution of the incident probe intensity profile with an object function sharply peaked at the atomic strings having a strength dependent on composition. How the incoherent characteristics arise is described using a Bloch wave approach and examples are shown of interfaces in semiconductor and superconductor materials.