Imaging Lithium Atoms at Sub-Angstrom Resolution

Journal Article · Mon Jan 03 04:00:00 EST 2005 · NanoSolutions

OSTI ID:875740

O'Keefe, Michael A; Shao-Horn, Yang

John Cowley and his group at ASU were pioneers in the use of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for high-resolution imaging. Three decades ago they achieved images showing the crystal unit cell content at better than 4A resolution. Over the years, this achievement has inspired improvements in resolution that have enabled researchers to pinpoint the positions of heavy atom columns within the cell. More recently, this ability has been extended to light atoms as resolution has improved. Sub-Angstrom resolution has enabled researchers to image the columns of light atoms (carbon, oxygen and nitrogen) that are present in many complex structures. By using sub-Angstrom focal-series reconstruction of the specimen exit surface wave to image columns of cobalt, oxygen, and lithium atoms in a transition metal oxide structure commonly used as positive electrodes in lithium rechargeable batteries, we show that the range of detectable light atoms extends to lithium. HRTEM at sub-Angstrom resolution will provide the essential role of experimental verification for the emergent nanotech revolution. Our results foreshadow those to be expected from next-generation TEMs with CS-corrected lenses and monochromated electron beams.

• Research Organization: Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley NationalLaboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Director. Office of Science. Office of Basic EnergySciences. Materials Sciences and Engineering Division; National ScienceFoundation. International Research Fellow Award INT-0000429
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 875740
• Report Number(s): LBNL--56646; BnR: KC0201010
• Journal Information: NanoSolutions, Journal Name: NanoSolutions Vol. 1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ATOMS
CARBON
COBALT
ELECTRODES
ELECTRON BEAMS
LENSES
LITHIUM
NITROGEN
OXIDES
OXYGEN
RESOLUTION
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
VERIFICATION
sub-Angstrom atomic-resolution HREM lithium battery FSR ESWTrueImage