title: Prospects for 3D, nanometer-resolution imaging by confocal STEM.
abstract: Confocal STEM is a new electron microscopy imaging mode. In a microscope with spherical aberration-corrected electron optics, it can produce three-dimensional (3D) images by optical sectioning. We have adapted the linear imaging theory of light confocal microscopy to confocal STEM and use it to suggest optimum imaging conditions for a confocal STEM limited by fifth-order spherical aberration. We predict that current or near-future microscopes will be able to produce 3D images with 1 nm vertical resolution and sub-Angstrom lateral resolution. Multislice simulations show that we will need to be cautious in interpreting these images, however, as they can be complicated by dynamical electron scattering.
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1509 University Ave., Madison, WI 53706, USA.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Einspahr
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Voyles