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Atomic electric fields revealed by a quantum mechanical approach to electron picodiffraction

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  • Knut Müller

    (Institut für Festkörperphysik, Universität Bremen, Otto-Hahn-Allee 1
    Center of Excellence for Materials and Processes, Universität Bremen)

  • Florian F. Krause

    (Institut für Festkörperphysik, Universität Bremen, Otto-Hahn-Allee 1
    Center of Excellence for Materials and Processes, Universität Bremen)

  • Armand Béché

    (EMAT, University of Antwerp)

  • Marco Schowalter

    (Institut für Festkörperphysik, Universität Bremen, Otto-Hahn-Allee 1
    Center of Excellence for Materials and Processes, Universität Bremen)

  • Vincent Galioit

    (Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Universität Regensburg)

  • Stefan Löffler

    (Institute of Solid State Physics, Vienna University of Technology
    University Service Centre for Transmission Electron Microscopy)

  • Johan Verbeeck

    (EMAT, University of Antwerp)

  • Josef Zweck

    (Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Universität Regensburg)

  • Peter Schattschneider

    (Institute of Solid State Physics, Vienna University of Technology
    University Service Centre for Transmission Electron Microscopy)

  • Andreas Rosenauer

    (Institut für Festkörperphysik, Universität Bremen, Otto-Hahn-Allee 1
    Center of Excellence for Materials and Processes, Universität Bremen)

Abstract

By focusing electrons on probes with a diameter of 50 pm, aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is currently crossing the border to probing subatomic details. A major challenge is the measurement of atomic electric fields using differential phase contrast (DPC) microscopy, traditionally exploiting the concept of a field-induced shift of diffraction patterns. Here we present a simplified quantum theoretical interpretation of DPC. This enables us to calculate the momentum transferred to the STEM probe from diffracted intensities recorded on a pixel array instead of conventional segmented bright-field detectors. The methodical development yielding atomic electric field, charge and electron density is performed using simulations for binary GaN as an ideal model system. We then present a detailed experimental study of SrTiO3 yielding atomic electric fields, validated by comprehensive simulations. With this interpretation and upgraded instrumentation, STEM is capable of quantifying atomic electric fields and high-contrast imaging of light atoms.

Suggested Citation

  • Knut Müller & Florian F. Krause & Armand Béché & Marco Schowalter & Vincent Galioit & Stefan Löffler & Johan Verbeeck & Josef Zweck & Peter Schattschneider & Andreas Rosenauer, 2014. "Atomic electric fields revealed by a quantum mechanical approach to electron picodiffraction," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:5:y:2014:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms6653
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6653
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    Cited by:

    1. Joel Martis & Sandhya Susarla & Archith Rayabharam & Cong Su & Timothy Paule & Philipp Pelz & Cassandra Huff & Xintong Xu & Hao-Kun Li & Marc Jaikissoon & Victoria Chen & Eric Pop & Krishna Saraswat &, 2023. "Imaging the electron charge density in monolayer MoS2 at the Ångstrom scale," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.

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