Recent advances in electron tomography: TEM and HAADF-STEM tomography for materials science and semiconductor applications.
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.
Kübel
Christian
C
FEI Company, Applications Laboratory, Achtseweg Noord 5, 5651GG Eindhoven, The Netherlands. ck@ifam.fraunhofer.de
Voigt
Andreas
A
Schoenmakers
Remco
R
Otten
Max
M
Su
David
D
Lee
Tan-Chen
TC
Carlsson
Anna
A
Bradley
John
J
D002384:Catalysis; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D017348:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Transmission / Q000379:methods*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods*; D012666:Semiconductors