Skip to main content

Molecular Foundry

HIGHLIGHTSSolving complex nanostructures with ptychographic atomic electron tomography
January 27, 2024

Scientific Achievement

a A converged electron beam is scanned over a nanoscale sample which is tilted around the α axis of a high-precision tomography holder. Four-dimensional scanning diffraction datasets are recorded at every tilt angle using a direct electron detector. b Reconstructed complex wave function of an example STEM probe. c Examples of phase-contrast projection images, reconstructed using mixed-state electron ptychography. d High-SNR class averages calculated from the images in (c). e Average diffraction pattern of all 36 tilt angles with some scattering angles labeled. f Two orientations of the 3D reconstructed volume from the 2D unit cell averages in (d). All real space scales bars are 10 Å, scale bar in (e) is 0.5 Å−1.

Foundry staff and users used ptychographic atomic electron tomography (PAET) to image a ZrTe nanowire-carbon nanotube containing previously observed and unobserved structures.

Significance and Impact

This is the first 3D atomic electron tomography reconstruction using ptychography. The experimental realization of this technique will allow for the structural determination of beam-sensitive nanomaterials containing light elements.

Research Details

  • The research team determined the atomic structure of a Zr-Te nanowire by phase-contrast ptychographic AET combined with unit cell averaging and Density Functional Theory (DFT).
  • PAET shows improved in contrast compared to AET for all atoms including weakly scattering carbon atoms at lower dose.
  • This study used the DOE-funded and Foundry-developed 4D Camera.
Pelz, P.M., Griffin, S.M., Stonemeyer, S., Popple, D., Devyldere, H., Ercius, P., Zettl, A., Scott, M.C., Ophus, C. Nat. Commun. 14: 7906. (2023) DOI:10.1038/s41467-023-43634-z

Read the associated news article.

Was this page useful?

Send
like not like