Isotope analysis in the transmission electron microscope

Toma Susi (), Christoph Hofer, Giacomo Argentero, Gregor T. Leuthner, Timothy J. Pennycook, Clemens Mangler, Jannik C. Meyer and Jani Kotakoski ()
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Toma Susi: Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics
Christoph Hofer: Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics
Giacomo Argentero: Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics
Gregor T. Leuthner: Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics
Timothy J. Pennycook: Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics
Clemens Mangler: Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics
Jannik C. Meyer: Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics
Jani Kotakoski: Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract The Ångström-sized probe of the scanning transmission electron microscope can visualize and collect spectra from single atoms. This can unambiguously resolve the chemical structure of materials, but not their isotopic composition. Here we differentiate between two isotopes of the same element by quantifying how likely the energetic imaging electrons are to eject atoms. First, we measure the displacement probability in graphene grown from either 12C or 13C and describe the process using a quantum mechanical model of lattice vibrations coupled with density functional theory simulations. We then test our spatial resolution in a mixed sample by ejecting individual atoms from nanoscale areas spanning an interface region that is far from atomically sharp, mapping the isotope concentration with a precision better than 20%. Although we use a scanning instrument, our method may be applicable to any atomic resolution transmission electron microscope and to other low-dimensional materials.

Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms13040

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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13040

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