Electron tomography

Electron tomography reveals three-dimensional structure, chemistry, and their dynamic evolution at the fundamental length scales of nanometers to atoms. Using electrons transmitted through nanoscale samples and a tilt series acquisition and reconstruction process, electron tomography captures detail nondestructively about the atomic structures and bonding that govern materials properties and performance. This chapter introduces tomography in the electron microscope, common data acquisition, reconstruction, and processing methods, and challenges and emerging solutions for applications of the technique. Examples highlight how industrial technologies from catalysis to functional organic, hybrid, and composite materials benefit from three-dimensional imaging, crystallography, and spectroscopy at the nanoscale. Advances in electron tomography with quantitative composition, atomic resolution, and fast acquisition for dynamic processes outline trends for further integration with materials and process engineering.