Background, status and future of the Transmission Electron Aberration-corrected Microscope project

Abstract

The strong interaction of electrons with small volumes of matter make them an ideal probe for nanomaterials, but our ability to fully use this signal in electron microscopes remains limited by lens aberrations. To bring this unique advantage to bear on materials research requires a sample space for electron scattering experiments in a tunable electron-optical environment. This is the vision for the Transmission Electron Aberrationcorrected Microscope (TEAM) project, which was initiated as a collaborative effort to re-design the electron microscope around aberration-correcting optics. The resulting improvements in spatial, spectral and temporal resolution, the increased space around the sample and the possibility of exotic electron-optical settings will enable new types of experiments. This contribution will give an overview of the TEAM project and its current status, illustrate the performance of the TEAM 0.5 instrument, with highlights from early applications of the machine, and outline future scientific opportunities for aberration-corrected microscopy.Keywords: aberration correction; depth sectioning; monochromator; single-atom detection; light atom imaging; electron microscopy Overview of the Transmission Electron Aberration-corrected Microscope projectRecent advances in aberration-correcting electron optics have led to increased resolution, sensitivity and signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio in atomic resolution microscopy. These advances have created the opportunity to directly observe the atomic-scale order, electronic structure and dynamics of individual nanoscale objects by advanced transmission electron microscopy (TEM). To take advantage of this opportunity, the Transmission Electron Aberration-corrected Microscope (TEAM) project was initiated to optimize the electron microscope around aberration-corrected electron optics and to further advance the limits of the instrument and the technique. The project brings together several leading microscopy groups supported by the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office *Author for correspondence (udahmen@lbl.gov).One contribution of 14 to a Discussion Meeting Issue 'New possibilities with aberration-corrected electron microscopy'. http://www.science.doe.gov). After its completion, the instrument will be made available to the scientific user community at the National Center for Electron Microscopy (NCEM).The vision for the TEAM project is the idea of providing a sample space for electron scattering experiments in a tunable electron-optical environment by removing some of the constraints that have limited electron microscopy until now. The resulting improvements in spatial, spectral and temporal resolution, the increased space around the sample and the possibility of setting up novel electronoptical configurations will enable new types of experiments in electron scattering. The TEAM microscope will feature unique corrector elements for spherical and chromatic aberrations, a novel atomic-force-microscopy-inspired specimen stage, a high-brightness gun and numerous other in...

Advanced microstructure diagnostics and interface analysis of modern materials by high-resolution analytical transmission electron microscopy

“…Meanwhile various commercial microscopes are/ or can be optionally equipped with objective lens and/or electron probe correctors (e.g.,TEM/STEMs: FEI Titan, JEOL JEM2200 FS, JEM -ARM200F, dedicated STEMs: Nion UltraSTEM 100 and 200, HITACHI HD-2700). State of the art instruments were developed in the TEAM (Transmission Electron Aberration-corrected Microscope) project, where the microscopes TEAM 0.5 and TEAM I were delivered [38]. The TEAM 0.5 microscope is equipped with a monochromated field emission gun, has two CEOS hexapole correctors for the objective lens and the electron probe and a GATAN GIF Tridiem energy-filter.…”

Statistical analysis of support thickness and particle size effects in HRTEM imaging of metal nanoparticles

“…TEM characterization was carried-out using a Philips CM300 FEG TEM/STEM (Cs ¼ 0.65 mm) and the double-aberration-corrected FEI TEAM 0.5 TEM/STEM (Cs ¼ 0.005 mm), both with UltraTwin pole pieces and operated at 300 kV without monochromation to ensure comparable information limits (0.8 Å). The TEAM 0.5 microscope is a modified FEI Titan TEM/STEM equipped with two CEOS hexapole-type spherical aberration correctors (0.8 Å information limit without monochromation [26]). Appropriate illumination conditions were established wherein a constant/low electron dose did not modify the Au NP during TEM examination.…”

New possibilities with aberration-corrected electron microscopy

“…In the USA, a major grouping has an ambitious 5-year programme (TEAM) that will culminate in an instrument fitted with spherical aberration correctors both pre-and post-specimen, a post-specimen chromatic aberration corrector, a monochromator, a new high-brightness gun and a novel specimen stage. The current state of this project was reported by Dahmen et al (2009).…”