Recent Advances in Electron Tomography: TEM and HAADF-STEM Tomography for Materials Science and Semiconductor Applications

作者：Christian Kübel, Andreas Voigt, Remco Schoenmakers, Max T. Otten, David Su, Tan-Chen Lee, Anna Carlsson, J. P. Bradley · 发表于：Microscopy and Microanalysis · 年份：2005 · DOI：10.1017/s1431927605050361 · 被引用次数：251 · 研究领域：Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications、Electron and X-Ray Spectroscopy Techniques、Surface and Thin Film Phenomena

Electron tomography is a well-established technique for three-dimensional structure determination of (almost) amorphous specimens in life sciences applications. With the recent advances in nanotechnology and the semiconductor industry, there is also an increasing need for high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) structural information in physical sciences. In this article, we evaluate the capabilities and limitations of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-angle-annular-dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) tomography for the 3D structural characterization of partially crystalline to highly crystalline materials. Our analysis of catalysts, a hydrogen storage material, and different semiconductor devices shows that features with a diameter as small as 1-2 nm can be resolved in three dimensions by electron tomography. For partially crystalline materials with small single crystalline domains, bright-field TEM tomography provides reliable 3D structural information. HAADF-STEM tomography is more versatile and can also be used for high-resolution 3D imaging of highly crystalline materials such as semiconductor devices.