Description
Electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) is an exceptionally versatile technique that goes far beyond its well-known application in elemental analysis. Analogous to X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at synchrotron facilities, EELS is based on the ionization of core electrons and provides similar information, while offering the significant advantage of superior spatial resolution.
Historically, the performance of EELS has been limited by chromatic aberrations and distortion, which introduce severe artifacts and signal degradation, thereby restricting the usable energy-loss range to approximately 2 keV.
In this work, we introduce the Iliad platform, featuring a newly designed EELS spectrometer that unlocks powerful new capabilities for nanoscale materials characterization. To ensure optimal performance and high-quality EELS data, we have tightly integrated the optics of the TEM and the EELS spectrometer. This integration minimizes chromatic effects and eliminates the artifacts that traditionally compromise data quality.
Our innovations such as Always-in-Focus technology significantly enhance data fidelity across a broad energy-loss range. Additionally, MultiEELS™ extends the accessible energy range. The improved optical design and seamless coupling of the spectrometer to the microscope column have enabled us to develop Extreme EELS (XEELS™) mode, which allows acquisition of EELS data up to 30 keV [1] previously the exclusive domain of XAS.
This extended energy-loss capability enables retrieval of fine structural information equivalent to XANES and EXAFS, as illustrated in Figure 1.
