Towards better 3-D reconstructions by combining electron tomography and atom-probe tomography

• Published in: Ultramicroscopy Vol. 108; no. 12; pp. 1579 - 1585
• Main Authors: Arslan, Ilke, Marquis, Emmanuelle A., Homer, Mark, Hekmaty, Michelle A., Bartelt, Norman C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.11.2008
• Subjects: Atom-probe tomography; Electron Microscope Tomography - methods; Electron Probe Microanalysis - methods; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - methods; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Transmission; Nanotechnology; Reconstruction artifacts; STEM tomography; Three-dimensional reconstructions; Tomography - methods; 68.37.Ma; STEM tomography; 42.30.Wb; Three-dimensional reconstructions; Atom-probe tomography; Reconstruction artifacts; 79.70.+q
• ISSN: 0304-3991; 1879-2723
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2008.05.008

Scanning transmission electron microscope tomography and atom-probe tomography are both three-dimensional techniques on the nanoscale. We demonstrate here the combination of the techniques by analyzing the very same volume of an Al–Ag alloy specimen. This comparison allows us to directly visualize the theoretically known artifacts of each technique experimentally, providing insight into the optimal parameters to use for reconstructions and assessing the quality of each reconstruction. The combination of the techniques for accurate morphology and compositional information in three dimensions at the nanoscale provides a route for a new level of materials characterization and understanding.