Bugnet, M., Löffler, S., Ederer, M., Kepaptsoglou, D. M., & Ramasse, Q. M. (2024). Current opinion on the prospect of mapping electronic orbitals in the transmission electron microscope: State of the art, challenges and perspectives. Journal of Microscopy. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmi.13321
E057-02 - Fachbereich Universitäre Serviceeinrichtung für Transmissions- Elektronenmikroskopie
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Journal:
Journal of Microscopy
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ISSN:
0022-2720
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Date (published):
2024
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Number of Pages:
19
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Publisher:
WILEY
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Peer reviewed:
Yes
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Keywords:
chemical bonding; convergent beam electron diffraction; core‐level spectroscopy; electron energy‐loss spectroscopy; electronic orbital; fine structures; solid state; transmission electron microscopy
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Abstract:
The concept of electronic orbitals has enabled the understanding of a wide range of physical and chemical properties of solids through the definition of, for example, chemical bonding between atoms. In the transmission electron microscope, which is one of the most used and powerful analytical tools for high-spatial-resolution analysis of solids, the accessible quantity is the local distribution of electronic states. However, the interpretation of electronic state maps at atomic resolution in terms of electronic orbitals is far from obvious, not always possible, and often remains a major hurdle preventing a better understanding of the properties of the system of interest. In this review, the current state of the art of the experimental aspects for electronic state mapping and its interpretation as electronic orbitals is presented, considering approaches that rely on elastic and inelastic scattering, in real and reciprocal spaces. This work goes beyond resolving spectral variations between adjacent atomic columns, as it aims at providing deeper information about, for example, the spatial or momentum distributions of the states involved. The advantages and disadvantages of existing experimental approaches are discussed, while the challenges to overcome and future perspectives are explored in an effort to establish the current state of knowledge in this field. The aims of this review are also to foster the interest of the scientific community and to trigger a global effort to further enhance the current analytical capabilities of transmission electron microscopy for chemical bonding and electronic structure analysis.
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Research facilities:
Universitäre Service-Einrichtung für Transmissionselektronenmikroskopie
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Project title:
Orbitalkartierung an Grenzflächen: I 4309-N36 (FWF - Österr. Wissenschaftsfonds)
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Project (external):
SuperSTEM, the EPSRC national facility for advanced electron microscopy French National Research Agency (ANR)