Electron ptychography achieves atomic-resolution limits set by lattice vibrations

Transmission electron microscopes use electrons with wavelengths of a few picometers, potentially capable of imaging individual atoms in solids at a resolution ultimately set by the intrinsic size of an atom. However, owing to lens aberrations and multiple scattering of electrons in the sample, the image resolution is reduced by a factor of 3 to 10. By inversely solving the multiple scattering problem and overcoming the electron-probe aberrations using electron ptychography, we demonstrate an instrumental blurring of less than 20 picometers and a linear phase response in thick samples. The measured widths of atomic columns are limited by thermal fluctuations of the atoms. Our method is also capable of locating embedded atomic dopant atoms in all three dimensions with subnanometer precision from only a single projection measurement.

Authors:
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Award ID(s):
Publication Date:
NSF-PAR ID:
10230251
Journal Name:
Science
Volume:
372
Issue:
6544
Page Range or eLocation-ID:
p. 826-831
ISSN:
0036-8075
Publisher:
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
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