journal article·2026-06Open access

Enhancing Dose Efficiency of Optimum Bright‐Field Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Using a Phase‐Shifted Electron Probe

Mitsuru Nogami, Takehito Seki, Kousuke Ooe, Naoya Shibata

Small Methods· Volume 10· Issue 11

Abstract

ABSTRACT Observing beam‐sensitive materials using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) at low electron dose conditions is challenging due to the low signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) of images. In this study, we aimed to improve the SNR of optimum bright‐field (OBF) STEM by introducing phase shifts to the incident electron probe using lens aberrations. Theoretical analysis and multislice simulations revealed that spherical aberration enhances low‐frequency contrast without introducing image artifacts, unlike simple defocus, which causes oscillations in the contrast transfer function. This approach improves the visibility of structural features in low‐dose conditions and may enable more efficient imaging of beam‐sensitive materials such as zeolites.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications · Electron and X-Ray Spectroscopy Techniques · Advanced Materials Characterization Techniques

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Institute of Engineering Innovation School of Engineering The University of Tokyo Bunkyo‐ku Tokyo Japan

PRESTO Japan Science and Technology Agency Kawaguchi Japan

School of Physics and Astronomy Monash University Clayton Victoria Australia

Nanostructures Research Laboratory Japan Fine Ceramics Center Nagoya Aichi Japan

Funding

Fusion Oriented REsearch for disruptive Science and Technology · Japan Society for the Promotion of Science · Japan Science and Technology Agency

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