SCANNING TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY (STEM)
The Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) rasters a focused incident probe across a specimen that (as with the TEM) has been thinned to facilitate detection of electrons scattered through the specimen. The high resolution of the TEM is thus possible in STEM.
STEM enables the simultaneous imaging and chemical analysis of samples through techniques such as energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), cathodoluminescence (CL), and Z-contrast imaging (HAADF). It allows for the examination of thick specimens with high contrast and reduces the damage caused by the electron beam by using a small, focused probe for scanning.
Application
– Chemical characterisation
– Structural properties
– Thicker samples than conventional TEM
