Electron microscopy and spectroscopy for spatially resolved analysis

Ex-situ scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM) techniques are jointly used to determine quantitatively the surface and interface structure and morphology of as-grown nanostructured materials with high spatial resolution down to the atomic scale (lattice imaging by high-resolution TEM). Cathodoluminescence spectroscopy and imaging in an SEM are utilized to detect the optical properties of individual nano-sized objects, which are correlated with the results of a detailed TEM real structure analysis. The local chemical composition is measured in the TEM by electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) with nanometer probe size at the same position. The results are a substantial basis for the understanding of the relation between growth, structure and physical properties of nanostructured materials.