Research on aberration corrector using laser standing wave toward realization of atomic resolution scanning electron microscopy

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H02629
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 29030:Applied condensed matter physics-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Uesugi Yuuki 東北大学, 多元物質科学研究所, 助教 (60780682)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 電子レンズ / 球面収差補正 / ポンデロモーティブポテンシャル / Kapitza-Dirac効果 / ベクトル光ビーム / 電子顕微鏡

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A study of spherical aberration correction of electron beams using a circularly symmetric laser standing wave has been conducted. Numerical calculations demonstrated that a tightly focused vector light beam acts as an electron lens with negative spherical aberration. The details of the lens properties were analyzed based on geometrical optics. Although the original plan was to develop an experimental system with continuous operation using an optical enhancement cavity, the importance of an electron lens system with pulsed operation was recognized during the study. Thus, the development of an experimental system for pulsed operation was carried out. Even though the demonstration of the electron lens was not achieved, a unique experimental system differentiated from those of preceding research groups was constructed.

Free Research Field

光工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

電子顕微鏡技術とレーザー技術の融合は当該分野における最先端の研究テーマである。本研究において、レーザーで電子顕微鏡用のレンズを実現できること、およびそれが球面収差補正に利用できる特異な性質を有することを世界に先駆けて示すことができた。本研究期間中に欧州のグループがレーザーによる電子レンズ作用の実証に初めて成功し、本研究者らがそれに追随する状況である。レーザーを駆使した新しい電子顕微鏡の要素技術が期待通りの性能を示せば、今後四半世紀の間に、原子分解能をもった顕微鏡装置が世界中の研究室で手軽に利用できるようになると期待される。