Electron Crystallography for Structure Analysis

Abstract

Microstructural design is essential in controlling and optimizing the properties and performance of functional materials. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has played a key role in determining the structures of function materials. A modern TEM is a versatile machine which not only can be used to explore the crystal structure using various imaging and diffraction techniques but also can perform high spatial resolution microanalysis using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). The routine point-to-point structural image resolution currently available in TEM is better than 0.2 nm, comparable to the interatomic distances in solids. Thus, TEM and associated analytical techniques are undoubtedly key research tools in determination microstructure and guiding the structure design of functional materials. Therefore, electron crystallography is a combination of all these capabilities, allowing quantitative structure analysis of a crystal as small as a few nanometers.