The STEM approach to the imaging of surfaces and small particles

Abstract

SummaryThe characteristics of scanning transmission electron microsopy, which make it a particularly powerful tool for the study of surfaces and small crystals, include the serial nature of the image signal which makes it amenable to recording and image processing procedures, the possibility of correlating the image data with microdiffraction patterns and microanalysis of chosen small regions and the possibilities for combining several different image signals obtained simultaneously. Images obtained from surfaces using reflected diffraction beams may be very sensitive to variations of surface structure but the resolution, depth of focus and contrast of the images are strongly dependent on the nature of the surface and the aperture sizes used in the microsope. Microdiffraction patterns may be obtained from small surface features. Electron energy loss analyses of the diffracted beams provides sensitive indications on surface electron excitations. Microdiffraction patterns obtained in transmission from regions of 1–5 nm diameter provide valuable information on the structure and defects of small crystals, such as those of platinum and gold which are of interest in relation to the study of catalysts.