Measuring electrostatic potential profiles across amorphous intergranular films by electron diffraction.
Amorphous 1-2-nm-wide intergranular films in ceramics dictate many of their properties. The detailed investigation of structure and chemistry of these films pushes the limits of today's transmission electron microscopy. We report on the reconstruction of the one-dimensional potential profile across the film from an experimentally acquired tilt series of energy-filtered electron diffraction patterns. Along with the potential profile, the specimen thickness, film orientation with respect to the grain lattice and specimen surface, and the absolute specimen orientation with respect to the laboratory frame of reference are retrieved.
Koch
Christoph T
CT
Max Planck Institut für Metallforschung, Heisenbergstr. 3, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany. koch@mf.mpg.de
Bhattacharyya
Somnath
S
Rühle
Manfred
M
Satet
Raphaëlle L
RL
Hoffmann
Michael J
MJ
D002516:Ceramics / Q000737:chemistry; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D004583:Electrons; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009040:Motion Pictures; D036103:Nanotechnology; D017655:Silicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D055672:Static Electricity
D017655:Silicon Compounds; C032734:silicon nitride