Development of ultimate imaging technique for dynamical and quantitative analyses

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K19010
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 28:Nano/micro science and related fields
• Research Institution: Japan Fine Ceramics Center
• Principal Investigator: Tadahiro Kawasaki 一般財団法人ファインセラミックスセンター, その他部局等, 主任研究員 (10372533)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 電子顕微鏡 / 軽元素 / 結像法 / ホローコーン照明

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A novel imaging technique based on electron microscopy has been investigated to visualize in-situ motion of atoms and ions in functional materials such as battery reactions and so on with high-resolution. For this purpose, we have newly proposed enehanced hollow-cone illumination TEM imaging method. In order to determine optimal imaging conditions in this method, imaging simulation has been done. As a result, spherical aberration remaining in the corresponding optical system must be reduced to less than several micrometer. Then, light element ions, such as O ion in SrTiO3 and Li ion in LiCoO2, can be clearly visualize. These results demonstrate that the proposed method is very effective to image various kind of light elements.

Free Research Field

電子顕微鏡額

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

蓄電池や燃料電池、高性能誘電体など種々の機能性材料において、その性能を左右するものの一つとして、材料内部の酸素イオン、リチウムイオンなどの挙動がある。その振る舞いを動的に観察するには、電子顕微鏡のもつ高い空間・時間分解能が有用であるが、電子顕微鏡では軽元素を可視化するのは非常に困難であった。本研究課題で提案した手法は、この課題を解決するものであり、新たな材料解析手法としての可能性を明確にすることができた。