title: Hybrid statistics-simulations based method for atom-counting from ADF STEM images.
abstract: A hybrid statistics-simulations based method for atom-counting from annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF STEM) images of monotype crystalline nanostructures is presented. Different atom-counting methods already exist for model-like systems. However, the increasing relevance of radiation damage in the study of nanostructures demands a method that allows atom-counting from low dose images with a low signal-to-noise ratio. Therefore, the hybrid method directly includes prior knowledge from image simulations into the existing statistics-based method for atom-counting, and accounts in this manner for possible discrepancies between actual and simulated experimental conditions. It is shown by means of simulations and experiments that this hybrid method outperforms the statistics-based method, especially for low electron doses and small nanoparticles. The analysis of a simulated low dose image of a small nanoparticle suggests that this method allows for far more reliable quantitative analysis of beam-sensitive materials.
authors.affiliation: Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT), University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium. Electronic address: annelies.dewael@uantwerpen.be.
authors.forename: Annelies
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Wael
authors.affiliation: Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT), University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Annick
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Backer
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, OX1 3PH Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Lewys
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, OX1 3PH Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Nellist
authors.affiliation: Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT), University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium. Electronic address: sandra.vanaert@uantwerpen.be.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Aert
keywords: Annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF STEM); Atom-counting; Beam-sensitive nanomaterials; Statistical parameter estimation theory