Quentin M. Ramasse1, Demie M. Kepaptsoglou1, Fredrik S. Hage1, F. Azough2, R. Freer2
1SuperSTEM Laboratory, Daresbury, U.K.
2School of Materials, University of Manchester, U.K.
A new generation of monochromators has recently pushed the energy resolution of (scanning) transmission electron microscopes into the sub 20meV range. In addition to the obvious increase in resolution which has made exploring the phonon region of the electron energy loss spectrum (EELS) possible, the flexibility of these instruments is proving advantageous for materials science investigations. The energy resolution, beam current and optics can be adjusted seamlessly within a greatly increased range. This contribution will illustrate these possibilities through a number of systems, such as a highly promising A-site deficient Nd2/3TiO3 based perovskite system. Using monochromated core loss EELS it is for instance possible to map individual components of the Ti L2,3 edge at atomic resolution and relate them to structural distortions of great importance for the material’s properties.
