Visualization of light elements by STEM imaging with Bayesian super-resolution

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K18819
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 26:Materials engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Harada Shunta 名古屋大学, 未来材料・システム研究所, 准教授 (30612460)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ベイズ超解像 / 軽元素原子 / 電子線分光 / スペクトル超解像

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research attempted to visualize light element atoms using HAADF-STEM methodology with Bayesian super-resolution, but due to the constraints of observation samples, the ideal results could not be achieved. However, successful visualization of oxygen atoms through integration has shown new possibilities as a visualization method for light element atoms. In terms of super-resolution of EELS data, the research succeeded in reconstructing a 0.01 eV/ch spectrum from multiple 0.1 eV/ch spectra and successfully achieved high-resolution reconstruction of Ti core-loss spectra. These results confirm that Bayesian super-resolution is a potent method for generating high-resolution spectral data. While the application of Bayesian super-resolution to HAADF-STEM images could not be realized in this research, the successes in visualization and application to EELS data illuminate the potential for future studies and advances in the field.

Free Research Field

材料科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成果は、軽元素原子の可視化技術における新たな手法を開拓する可能性を秘めている。特に、金属酸化物中の酸素原子の観察に成功したことは、材料科学、化学、生物学等の幅広い研究領域において、微細な構造の観察・解析に対する新たな道を切り開く可能性を持つ。また、EELSデータの超解像への応用に成功したことは、電子エネルギー損失スペクトルの分析における精度を向上させ、原子レベルでの物質解析の可能性を広げることを示している。これらの成果は、物質科学研究における重要な指針となる可能性がある。