Atomic Focusers in Electron Microscopy

Atomic Focusers in Electron MicroscopyThe resolution of electron microscopes is currently limited to 0.1 & 0.2 nm by unavoidable lens aberrations. Although this resolution is sufficient for single heavy atoms on light atom supports and for imaging the arrangement of atoms in many crystalline environments, it is not sufficient for the imaging of the atoms in crystals when the crystals have other orientations, etc. For many types of investigations, such as studying the arrangement of atoms in and around crystalline defects or in poorly ordered solids as in real systems, a resolution down to 0.05 nm or less is highly desirable.Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a new electron focusing concept based on the use of certain atoms in a lattice. Such a focusing system would have broad utility in Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopes (STEM's) and fixed beam Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEM's). This focusing system would involve only minor modifications of existing instruments. Is it is expected that considerable resolution enhancement in electron microscopy would be realized through the use of this new innovation.