Development of a method for visualising chemical bonds in the local area using scanning transmission electron microscopy.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K15014
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 26010:Metallic material properties-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Seki Takehito 東京大学, 大学院工学系研究科(工学部), 助教 (90848558)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 走査透過電子顕微鏡 / 微分位相コントラスト

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, a visualisation method for chemical bonds was developed by combining the differential phase contrast method, which allows the observation of electromagnetic fields on an atomic scale, with a simulation method. The imaging theory of the differential phase contrast method was developed, and an algorithm was developed to obtain an electron distribution that reproduces the experimental data by iterative simulation. The algorithm was validated using noiseless simulation data as test data and applied to actual experimental data. The algorithm is expected to be applied to the visualisation of chemical bonds in local regions.

Free Research Field

電子顕微鏡法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

材料の特性は、しばしば界面などの局所領域において発現する。走査透過電子顕微鏡法はこれまで局所領域における原子配列の観察に用いられてきたが、触媒や電気物性などの材料物性は、原子配列のみならず電子の分布に依存するため、電子分布を明らかにする手法開発が求められてきた。本研究で開発した手法を用いて局所領域の電子分布を明らかにすることで、材料研究が加速すると期待される。