Atomic Resolution Secondary Electron Imaging with Aberration Corrected Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope

Hiromi Inada, Keiji Tamura, Yuya Suzuki, Mitsuru Konno and Kuniyasu Nakamura

Hitachi High-Technologies Corp.

Abstract: Sub-nanometer atomic scale characterization has been applied widely with aberration-corrected electron microscopy. We have been studying atomic-resolution secondary electron imaging with aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope. As a result of a series of experiments, we have succeeded in observing isolated single uranium atoms using secondary electron signals. In addition, we observed atomic-resolution images not only for heavy elements like uranium but also light ones like silicon and carbon.

Key words: Atomic resolution secondary electron image, Single atom, Aberration correction, Scanning transmission electron microscope, Scanning electron microscope