Atomic-Resolution Imaging and Analysis with Cs-Corrected Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Advances in nanotechnology and electronic device miniaturization are making atomic-level control of structure and composition increasingly important. To promote research and development in this field, it is essential to develop technology for measuring the structures, compositions, and properties of materials and devices with atomic resolution. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), which is a high-spatial-resolution imaging technique, combined with analytical equipment has been used in various fields such as research and development. However, conventional STEM equipment suffers from probe size limitations and a drop in electron-beam current due to the effects of spherical aberration (C s ) in the magnetic lens. Recently, though, C s -correction technology has been developed, and the C s corrector has been mounted on commercial STEM equipment. This technology is proving to be exceptionally effective in enabling imaging and analysis at even higher resolutions. In this paper, we describe the principles for increasing resolution by applying C s -correction technology and present examples of atomic-resolution STEM measurements.