Yuji Kohno

Performance of low-voltage STEM/TEM with delta corrector and cold field emission gun

To reduce radiation damage caused by the electron beam and to obtain high-contrast images of specimens, we have developed a highly stabilized transmission electron microscope equipped with a cold field emission gun and spherical aberration correctors for image- and probe-forming systems, which operates at lower acceleration voltages than conventional transmission electron microscopes. A delta-type aberration corrector is designed to simultaneously compensate for third-order spherical aberration and fifth-order 6-fold astigmatism. Both were successfully compensated in both scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) modes in the range 30-60 kV. The Fourier transforms of raw high-angle annular dark field (HAADF) images of a Si[110] sample revealed spots corresponding to lattice spacings of 111 and 96 pm at 30 and 60 kV, respectively, and those of raw TEM images of an amorphous Ge film with gold particles showed spots corresponding to spacings of 91 and 79 pm at 30 and 60 kV, respectively. Er@C(82)-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes, which are carbon-based samples, were successfully observed by HAADF-STEM imaging with an atomic-level resolution.

New area detector for atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy

A new area detector for atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is developed and tested. The circular detector is divided into 16 segments which are individually optically coupled with photomultiplier tubes. Thus, 16 atomic-resolution STEM images which are sensitive to the spatial distribution of scattered electrons on the detector plane can be simultaneously obtained. This new detector can be potentially used not only for the simultaneous formation of common bright-field, low-angle annular dark-field and high-angle annular dark-field images, but also for the quantification of images by detecting the full range of scattered electrons and even for exploring novel atomic-resolution imaging modes by post-processing combination of the individual images.

Performances of an 80–200 kV microscope employing a cold-FEG and an aberration-corrected objective lens

The performances of a newly developed 80-200 kV cold field emission gun (CFEG) transmission electron microscope (TEM) integrating a spherical aberration corrector for a TEM image-forming lens have been evaluated. To begin, we show that the stability of both emission and probe currents makes use of this new CFEG much friendlier. The energy spread of electrons emitted from the CFEG has been measured as a function of emission current and shows a very last 0.26 eV energy resolution at 200 kV and even 0.23 eV at 80 kV. The combination of the CFEG and the CEOS™ aberration corrector, associated with enhanced mechanical and electrical stabilities of this new microscope, allows reaching an information transfer below 75 pm at 200 and 80 pm at 80 kV. This unseen resolution at 200 kV has allowed us to study the structure of CoPt nanoparticles by observing direct images of their atomic arrangement along the high indexes zone axis. We have evidenced the presence of defects in these nanostructures that are not parallel to the electron beam. The precise stoichiometry of two iron oxides, FeO and Fe2O3, has been determined from an analysis of iron valence state that was obtained from a direct analysis of EELS fine structures spectrum of the two oxides.

Imaging of built-in electric field at a p-n junction by scanning transmission electron microscopy.

Precise measurement and characterization of electrostatic potential structures and the concomitant electric fields at nanodimensions are essential to understand and control the properties of modern materials and devices. However, directly observing and measuring such local electric field information is still a major challenge in microscopy. Here, differential phase contrast imaging in scanning transmission electron microscopy with segmented type detector is used to image a p-n junction in a GaAs compound semiconductor. Differential phase contrast imaging is able to both clearly visualize and quantify the projected, built-in electric field in the p-n junction. The technique is further shown capable of sensitively detecting the electric field variations due to dopant concentration steps within both p-type and n-type regions. Through live differential phase contrast imaging, this technique can potentially be used to image the electromagnetic field structure of new materials and devices even under working conditions.

Direct observation of Σ7 domain boundary core structure in magnetic skyrmion lattice

Advanced electron microscopy reveals a unique structural relaxation mechanism in a magnetic skyrmion domain boundary core. Skyrmions are topologically protected nanoscale magnetic spin entities in helical magnets. They behave like particles and tend to form hexagonal close-packed lattices, like atoms, as their stable structure. Domain boundaries in skyrmion lattices are considered to be important as they affect the dynamic properties of magnetic skyrmions. However, little is known about the fine structure of such skyrmion domain boundaries. We use differential phase contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy to directly visualize skyrmion domain boundaries in FeGe1−xSix induced by the influence of an “edge” of a crystal grain. Similar to hexagonal close-packed atomic lattices, we find the formation of skyrmion “Σ7” domain boundary, whose orientation relationship is predicted by the coincidence site lattice theory to be geometrically stable. On the contrary, the skyrmion domain boundary core structure shows a very different structure relaxation mode. Individual skyrmions can flexibly change their size and shape to accommodate local coordination changes and free volumes formed at the domain boundary cores. Although atomic rearrangement is a common structural relaxation mode in crystalline grain boundaries, skyrmions show very unique and thus different responses to such local lattice disorders.

Electric field imaging of single atoms

In scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), single atoms can be imaged by detecting electrons scattered through high angles using post-specimen, annular-type detectors. Recently, it has been shown that the atomic-scale electric field of both the positive atomic nuclei and the surrounding negative electrons within crystalline materials can be probed by atomic-resolution differential phase contrast STEM. Here we demonstrate the real-space imaging of the (projected) atomic electric field distribution inside single Au atoms, using sub-Å spatial resolution STEM combined with a high-speed segmented detector. We directly visualize that the electric field distribution (blurred by the sub-Å size electron probe) drastically changes within the single Au atom in a shape that relates to the spatial variation of total charge density within the atom. Atomic-resolution electric field mapping with single-atom sensitivity enables us to examine their detailed internal and boundary structures.

Enhanced light element imaging in atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy

We show that an imaging mode based on taking the difference between signals recorded from the bright field (forward scattering region) in atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy provides an enhancement of the detectability of light elements over existing techniques. In some instances this is an enhancement of the visibility of the light element columns relative to heavy element columns. In all cases explored it is an enhancement in the signal-to-noise ratio of the image at the light column site. The image formation mechanisms are explained and the technique is compared with earlier approaches. Experimental data, supported by simulation, are presented for imaging the oxygen columns in LaAlO₃. Case studies looking at imaging hydrogen columns in YH₂ and lithium columns in Al₃Li are also explored through simulation, particularly with respect to the dependence on defocus, probe-forming aperture angle and detector collection aperture angles.

Attainment of 40.5 pm spatial resolution using 300 kV scanning transmission electron microscope equipped with fifth-order aberration corrector

The achievement of a fine electron probe for high-resolution imaging in scanning transmission electron microscopy requires technological developments, especially in electron optics. For this purpose, we developed a microscope with a fifth-order aberration corrector that operates at 300 kV. The contrast flat region in an experimental Ronchigram, which indicates the aberration-free angle, was expanded to 70 mrad. By using a probe with convergence angle of 40 mrad in the scanning transmission electron microscope at 300 kV, we attained the spatial resolution of 40.5 pm, which is the projected interatomic distance between Ga-Ga atomic columns of GaN observed along [212] direction.

Direct Visualization of Local Electromagnetic Field Structures by Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

The functional properties of materials and devices are critically determined by the electromagnetic field structures formed inside them, especially at nanointerface and surface regions, because such structures are strongly associated with the dynamics of electrons, holes and ions. To understand the fundamental origin of many exotic properties in modern materials and devices, it is essential to directly characterize local electromagnetic field structures at such defect regions, even down to atomic dimensions. In recent years, rapid progress in the development of high-speed area detectors for aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with sub-angstrom spatial resolution has opened new possibilities to directly image such electromagnetic field structures at very high-resolution. In this Account, we give an overview of our recent development of differential phase contrast (DPC) microscopy for aberration-corrected STEM and its application to many materials problems. In recent years, we have developed segmented-type STEM detectors which divide the detector plane into 16 segments and enable simultaneous imaging of 16 STEM images which are sensitive to the positions and angles of transmitted/scattered electrons on the detector plane. These detectors also have atomic-resolution imaging capability. Using these segmented-type STEM detectors, we show DPC STEM imaging to be a very powerful tool for directly imaging local electromagnetic field structures in materials and devices in real space. For example, DPC STEM can clearly visualize the local electric field variation due to the abrupt potential change across a p-n junction in a GaAs semiconductor, which cannot be observed by normal in-focus bright-field or annular type dark-field STEM imaging modes. DPC STEM is also very effective for imaging magnetic field structures in magnetic materials, such as magnetic domains and skyrmions. Moreover, real-time imaging of electromagnetic field structures can now be realized through very fast data acquisition, processing, and reconstruction algorithms. If we use DPC STEM for atomic-resolution imaging using a sub-angstrom size electron probe, it has been shown that we can directly observe the atomic electric field inside atoms within crystals and even inside single atoms, the field between the atomic nucleus and the surrounding electron cloud, which possesses information about the atomic species, local chemical bonding and charge redistribution between bonded atoms. This possibility may open an alternative way for directly visualizing atoms and nanostructures, that is, seeing atoms as an entity of electromagnetic fields that reflect the intra- and interatomic electronic structures. In this Account, the current status of aberration-corrected DPC STEM is highlighted, along with some applications in real material and device studies.

Jointed magnetic skyrmion lattices at a small-angle grain boundary directly visualized by advanced electron microscopy

The interactions between magnetic skyrmions and structural defects, such as edges, dislocations, and grain boundaries (GBs), which are all considered as topological defects, will be important issues when magnetic skyrmions are utilized for future memory device applications. To investigate such interactions, simultaneous visualization of magnetic skyrmions and structural defects at high spatial resolution, which is not feasible by conventional techniques, is essential. Here, taking advantages of aberration-corrected differential phase-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy, we investigate the interaction of magnetic skyrmions with a small-angle GB in a thin film of FeGe1−xSix. We found that the magnetic skyrmions and the small-angle GB can coexist each other, but a domain boundary (DB) was formed in the skyrmion lattice along the small-angle GB. At the core of the DB, unexpectedly deformed magnetic skrymions, which appear to be created by joining two portions of magnetic skyrmions in the adjacent lattices, were formed to effectively compensate misorientations between the two adjacent magnetic skyrmion lattices. These observations strongly suggest the flexible nature of individual magnetic skyrmions, and also the significance of defect engineering for future device applications.