Atomic imaging technique removes distortions

At issue are scanning transmission electron microscopes (TEMs), which can capture images of a material’s individual atoms. To take those images, scientists have to allow a probe to scan across the sample area, which has an area of less than 25nm2.

The sample rests on a support rod, and while the scanning takes place, in tens of seconds, the rod expands or contracts due to subtle changes in ambient temperature.

The rod’s expansion or contraction is imperceptible to the naked eye, but because the sample area is measured in nanometres the rod’s movement causes the sample material to shift slightly. This so-called ‘drift’ can cause the resulting scanning TEM images to be significantly distorted.

‘But our approach effectively eliminates the effect of drift on scanning TEM images,’ said Dr James LeBeau, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at NC State and senior author of a paper describing the work.

Researchers programmed the microscope to rotate the direction in which it scans the sample. For example, it might first take an image scanning from left to right, then take one scanning from top to bottom, then right to left, then bottom to top. Each scanning direction captures the distortion caused by drift from a different vantage point.