Micron最新文献

{"title":"Accurate interlayer distance measurement in bilayer graphene on SiC by high-resolution electron microscopy data analysis","authors":"A.S. Prikhodko,&nbsp;N.I. Borgardt","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2026.104002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2026.104002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fine-tuning the interlayer distance in bilayer graphene (BLG) is essential for advancing novel devices that utilize graphenes’ exceptional properties. Thus, the precise measurement of interlayer distances with sub-angstrom accuracy in BLG is important. In this study, we develop an approach that focuses on local interlayer spacing measurements and employs further statistical analysis to achieve a sub-angstrom accuracy of the obtained mean distance value. The proposed approach utilizes high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) data combined with the exit wave reconstruction technique. As a result, it allows for the extraction of an exit wave phase map that is free from the delocalization effect and contains structural information at the atomic scale. The effectiveness of the developed approach was validated through testing on atomistic 6H-SiC/BLG structures, found via molecular dynamics simulations. The mean interlayer distance <span><math><mrow><mfenced><mrow><mi>d</mi></mrow></mfenced></mrow><mspace></mspace></math></span> measured using the phase map calculated for the test structure closely matched the interlayer distance obtained from direct atomic positions.</div><div>The application of the distance measurement approach to the experimental exit wave phase map, yielded <span><math><mrow><mfenced><mrow><mi>d</mi></mrow></mfenced></mrow><mo>=</mo></math></span>(0.351 ± 0.018) nm. The utilization of two slightly over-focused micrographs demonstrated <span><math><mrow><mfenced><mrow><mi>d</mi></mrow></mfenced></mrow><mo>=</mo></math></span>(0.355 ± 0.027) nm and <span><math><mrow><mfenced><mrow><mi>d</mi></mrow></mfenced></mrow><mo>=</mo></math></span>(0.359 ± 0.027) nm. Due to the delocalization effect, these values were somewhat larger than the value from the reconstructed exit wave phase map. If extremely high accuracy of the <span><math><mrow><mfenced><mrow><mi>d</mi></mrow></mfenced></mrow><mspace></mspace></math></span> measurement is not needed, it is sufficient to use a slightly over-focused image, leading to a mismatch value of <span><math><mrow><mo>≈</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>%</mo></mrow></math></span>. Overall, the developed approach for measuring interlayer distances in BLG is essential for exploring the correlation between <span><math><mrow><mfenced><mrow><mi>d</mi></mrow></mfenced></mrow></math></span> in van der Waals 2D materials and their properties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"203 ","pages":"Article 104002"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146137691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Feasibility and strategies for direct atomic force microscopy on standard transmission electron microscopy specimens","authors":"Michéle Brugger-Hatzl ,&nbsp;Verena Reisecker ,&nbsp;Anas Alatrash ,&nbsp;Martina Dienstleder ,&nbsp;Evelin Fisslthaler ,&nbsp;Daniel Knez ,&nbsp;Gerald Kothleitner","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103965","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103965","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Correlative microscopy has gained increasing importance across a range of research disciplines. Combining different microscopy techniques broadens knowledge about a sample by providing more comprehensive insights. In particular, the correlation of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) offers a powerful complementary approach for investigating materials, as both surface and subsurface information can be obtained. The fundamental motivation of this study is to establish a direct correlation between measurements obtained from the same specimen region by both methods. Such correlation is not always straightforward, as each technique requires different sample preparation. Consequently, performing AFM measurements on TEM samples inevitably gives rise to several challenges, including, but not limited to, surface distortion and limited accessibility. In this study, we propose a range of AFM measurement strategies tailored to two typical TEM sample types: a 3 nm thin membrane on lacey carbon and a TEM lamella mounted on a lift-out grid. We compare the influence of different cantilever dimensions and AFM modes on image quality, and explore the fabrication of AFM tips positioned at the very front of a cantilever via focused electron beam induced deposition to improve accessibility of regions of interest. With the strategies developed here, we successfully demonstrate the feasibility of AFM measurements on TEM samples without the need for additional sample preparation, enabling direct correlation. The results highlight the practical viability of this combined approach, and expand the scope of correlative microscopy for advanced materials characterization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 103965"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145678179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and validation of an interface for automated image acquisition during high-temperature environmental scanning electron microscopy experiments","authors":"J. Lautru,&nbsp;R. Podor","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103980","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103980","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An interface that enables automatic image acquisition during high-temperature experiments in an environmental SEM is developed. It is optimized to work on multiple regions of interest at multiple magnifications, performing image focusing (focus and astigmatism) and automatic re-centering of regions of interest. Its operation has been validated by monitoring two regions of interest of a nickel-based superalloy undergoing oxidation at 950 °C at different magnifications. Recording series of images at different magnifications on different regions of interest makes it possible to qualify the behavior of different areas of the sample in a single operation and/or to validate the reproducibility of the observations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 103980"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145701410","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A combined hardware and software method for the projection center calibration of the diffraction pattern","authors":"Liting Zhang ,&nbsp;Qiwei Shi ,&nbsp;Dominique Loisnard ,&nbsp;Maxime Mollens ,&nbsp;Haowei Wang ,&nbsp;Stéphane Roux","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103977","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103977","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The precise knowledge of the projection center (PC) coordinates is vital for diffraction techniques, especially for electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD). Numerous techniques have been proposed for PC calibration, involving both hardware maneuver and algorithm developments. Hardware calibration is straightforward 1, while software calibration generally displays small uncertainties yet possible biases. A novel method is proposed herein for PC calibration, associating a moving screen 1 image correlation, thus combining the strengths of both techniques. Multiple sets of diffraction patterns of the same sample area are acquired at different positions of the detector along its track. Exploiting the geometrical relationship between them through a dedicated integrated digital image correlation framework (IDIC-M) that also associates a simulated master pattern, the PC coordinates are obtained. A unique crystal orientation and varying PC values are sought relating the different diffraction patterns to fully benefit from their consistency. This hybrid method improves the precision of PC calibration by 74.0% and 21.8% as compared to pure (hardware) moving-screen method and (software) image correlation method, respectively. Besides, the present work further validates the gradient-based version of pattern correlation, free of perceivable systematic errors, and hence deemed efficient and reliable in EBSD practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 103977"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145687513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A study of in-the-column detector micrograph contrast in low-voltage scanning electron microscopy","authors":"Asia Matatyaho Ya'akobi,&nbsp;Irina Davidovich,&nbsp;Yeshayahu Talmon","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103978","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103978","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is a widely used technique in science and engineering, traditionally performed at electron beam acceleration voltages (BAVs) above 5 kV. However, progress in field emission guns and SEM technology have made low-voltage SEM imaging more available. Low-voltage SEM offers significant advantages, such as high-resolution imaging and the imaging of non-coated insulating specimens without charging artifacts. Nevertheless, there is limited research on electron-specimen interactions and the influence of SEM operational parameters on the obtained micrograph at the low-voltage range. This study focuses on low-voltage SEM imaging, below 2 kV, using a high-resolution in-the-lens detector. We investigated the effects of BAV and working distance (WD) on micrograph contrast and resolution. Carbon nanotubes and boron nitride nanotubes, two very important advanced materials, were used as model specimens of conductive and non-conductive materials, respectively, and silicon wafers and glass slides were used as model conductive and non-conductive substrates. We found that optimal imaging conditions differ with specimen properties; optimal results were typically obtained at low BAV (0.8–1.2 kV) and short WD (below 3 mm). Additionally, we show that substrate conductivity affects micrograph quality. Counterintuitively, insulating substrates provide better results in some cases. These findings emphasize the importance of optimizing SEM imaging parameters, and choosing the substrate according to sample properties for optimal imaging at low-voltage conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 103978"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145687553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphometric analysis of axonal ultrastructure: Coordinated scaling of organelles and myelin","authors":"Vitalijs Borisovs ,&nbsp;Mario Bossi ,&nbsp;Guido Cavaletti","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103981","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103981","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a crucial neuronal organelle involved in protein synthesis, calcium homeostasis, and metabolic support, essential for neuronal function and plasticity. Understanding its three-dimensional (3D) architecture is key to elucidating functional organization. Using SBF-SEM and AI-assisted segmentation, we established a quantitative framework to characterize ER and mitochondrial scaling within 35 peripheral nervous system (PNS) myelinated axons. Analysis of individual organelle morphometrics revealed a strong power-law relationship between surface area and volume for both mitochondria (R² = 0.949) and ER (R² = 0.949). The resulting exponents were super-isometric (k_Mito = 0.85, k_ER = 0.73), suggesting structural plasticity that prioritizes membrane surface expansion. A key finding was the distinction between size and number regulation: mitochondrial and ER volumes were negligibly correlated (r ≈ 0.03), implying independent size regulation. However, organelle abundance (counts) showed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.79), maintaining an extremely low Bonferroni-adjusted Q value (8.1 ×10⁻⁹), suggesting coordinated control of organelle number in response to axonal size. Axonal populations were heterogeneous, with larger axons consistently containing more ER elements (r = 0.59) and mitochondria (r = 0.69). Furthermore, a low correlation of axon length with organelle content supports the idea that regulation is primarily a local phenomenon tied to cross-sectional size. These findings provide a quantitative basis for understanding how ER and mitochondria structurally adapt to axonal size, laying the groundwork for future research into how these scaling relationships influence neuronal metabolic health and contribute to neurological disease.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 103981"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145743331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electron beam-induced transformation of LDH and derived materials","authors":"Liseth Duarte-Correa ,&nbsp;Frank Girgsdies ,&nbsp;Katarzyna Skorupska ,&nbsp;Thomas Lunkenbein ,&nbsp;Walid Hetaba","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103985","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103985","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a versatile tool for the characterization of (catalytic) materials on the nanoscale. This is very important for understanding the structure-function relationships of the investigated samples. However, TEM experiments can induce significant changes in materials due to the electron-beam irradiation which in turn can lead to misinterpretation of results. Here, we systematically investigate the effect of beam-induced damage on layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and derived materials, focusing on NiCuAl LDHs with different Ni:Cu ratios. Using electron diffractograms, we confirm that all LDH samples exhibit high sensitivity to electron irradiation, resulting in structural modifications, which are not always accompanied by observable morphological changes. Ni-containing LDHs transform into metal oxides, while the CuAl LDH shows more pronounced indications for the formation of metallic species. For the NiCu(4:1)Al LDH after thermal treatment, the results indicate the formation of structural voids in the calcined sample, while the reduced sample shows the partial formation of a spinel structure. Our systematic study reveals that the degree of damage decreases in the order: LDH &gt; LDH-calcined &gt; LDH-reduced sample. Our findings underscore the general importance of considering beam damage and performing systematic experiments to avoid misinterpreting electron microscopy data.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 103985"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145884492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular dynamic simulation of multi-frequency electrostatic force microscopy","authors":"Quan Yuan,&nbsp;Jianqiang Qian,&nbsp;Yingzi Li,&nbsp;Minghao Wang,&nbsp;Rui Lin,&nbsp;Yifan Hu,&nbsp;Duo Feng,&nbsp;Peng Cheng,&nbsp;Yanan Chen,&nbsp;Haowei Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103979","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103979","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Multifrequency electrostatic force microscopy (MF-EFM) is a critical tool for the electrical characterization of nanomaterial surfaces, and the quality is closely related to parameters. Molecular simulations have successfully explained the motion process in bimodal AFM. However, additional considerations are required for implementing electrostatic interactions in molecular simulations for MF-EFM. We use COMSOL to model the tip-sample system in MF-EFM, derive the fitting formula for the electrostatic forces between tip and sample, and applied it in LAMMPS. The tip response amplitude variations obtained by simulations are analyzed, and the effect of different parameters on the amplitudes of the two modes is examined. This approach successfully explained the scan process of MF-EFM, and the results are validated by experiments. We provide a reliable method for simulating atomic-scale vibration responses during MF-EFM scan.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 103979"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145692857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A contrast-optimized hollow cone dark field imaging method for nanocrystalline in glass-ceramic materials","authors":"Jiong Ding ,&nbsp;Shigeo Mori ,&nbsp;Yasuhiro Domi ,&nbsp;Hiroki Sakaguchi","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103983","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103983","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hollow-cone dark-field (HCDF) imaging provides valuable structural information about polycrystalline and nanocrystalline materials. However, conventional HCDF imaging suffers from low contrast, particularly in samples containing amorphous phases in glass-ceramics. In this study, we propose an improved HCDF imaging method that replaces the continuous beam-tilting approach with a series of discrete dark-field (DF) images acquired by stepwise rotation of the electron beam. Each DF image corresponds to a specific position along the targeted diffraction ring. To enhance contrast, we introduce a selective averaging strategy that includes only the crystalline regions, segmented through a customized thresholding and morphological filtering process. This approach significantly improves the visualization of crystalline domains compared to conventional HCDF images. The method was validated using polycrystalline Au, LaSi₂/TaSi₂/Si composite nanomaterials, and in-situ annealed Li₃PS₄ sulfide electrolytes. The results demonstrate enhanced contrast and clarity, particularly under conditions of low crystallinity, making the method especially effective for structural studies of glass-ceramics and other materials with low crystallinity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 103983"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145884491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of interlayer deposition strategy on thermal characteristics and multiphase synergistic strengthening of HEAs prepared by LPBF","authors":"Yaqiong Ge,&nbsp;Yan Yin,&nbsp;Yue Song,&nbsp;Lina Wang,&nbsp;Qingling Hou,&nbsp;Zexin Chang,&nbsp;Wen Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103975","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103975","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology provides a new approach for microstructure control of high entropy alloys (HEAs) through layer-by-layer stacking and rapid solidification characteristics. This study focuses on the Al_0.5CoCrFeNi HEAs and systematically investigates the effects of different interlayer rotation angles (0°, 67°, 90°) on the porosity, grain orientation, phase distribution, and mechanical properties of LPBF formed HEAs. The results showed that the interlayer rotation angle significantly controlled the grain morphology and grain boundary characteristics by changing the thermal accumulation and gradient direction of the melt pool. At a rotation angle of 67°, the melt pool size increased, the porosity decreased to 2.05 %, and the proportion of high angle grain boundaries (HAGB) increased to 31.34 %. Combining EBSD and TEM analysis, it was found that at the rotation angle of 67°, the BCC phase content increased to 8.36 %, the preferred grain orientation weakened, the degree of recrystallization increased to 7.69 %, and the dislocation network density decreased to 1.18 × 10¹⁴m⁻². These promoted the tensile strength to 733.53 MPa, an increase of 36.9 % compared to the 0° sample and 6.4 % compared to the 90° sample. This study reveals the coupling mechanism of interlayer rotation angle on the ‘thermal-mechanical-microstructure’ of LPBF formed HEAs, providing theoretical support for the optimization of additive manufacturing processes for high-performance complex structural alloys.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 103975"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145651926","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}