Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Done Right

Performance, usability, and even availability of 4D-scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) measurements have historically been compromised by the lack of integration of 4D-STEM components on (S)TEM columns that were not originally designed for this purpose. This article introduces TESCAN TENSOR, the world’s first dedicated 4D-STEM instrument for multimodal characterization of nanoscale morphological, chemical, and structural properties of functional materials, thin films, and natural and synthetic crystals with stand-out 4D-STEM performance and unprecedented usability. 4D-STEM is the microscopy method of choice for nanoscale, multimodal characterization of material properties such as morphology, chemistry, and structure. At each pixel in the STEM dataset, the TENSOR rapidly acquires a diffraction pattern and an energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) spectrum that are perfectly synchronized. Together, diffraction and spectroscopy data encapsulate the full picture of electron beam–specimen interaction, from which a wide range of material properties can be derived. This article will review analytical 4D-STEM applications and discuss how the new 4D-STEM meets these requirements.