Development of a three-dimensional electron microscope for stereoscopic observation of nano-structures

Stereoscopic observation of nanostructures is one of the ultimate goals in the analytical technology field. Three-dimensional (3D) structures and elemental bonding states in the nanometer area affect the function and performance of new materials and advanced devices. Thus, their evaluation at high resolution and high accuracy becomes very important. We have developed a high performance 3D electron microscope solving those issues. The goals were a 3D resolution of 0.5 nm and an energy resolution of 0.5 eV in electron energy loss spectroscopy. Various technologies to achieve those goals were developed and integrated as a 3D electron microscope system.