Theoretical aspects of image formation in the aberration-corrected electron microscope

The theoretical aspects of image formation in the transmission electron microscope (TEM) are outlined and revisited in detail by taking into account the elastic and inelastic scattering. In particular, the connection between the exit wave and the scattering amplitude is formulated for non-isoplanatic conditions. Different imaging modes are investigated by utilizing the scattering amplitude and employing the generalized optical theorem. A novel obstruction-free anamorphotic phase shifter is proposed which enables one to shift the phase of the scattered wave by an arbitrary amount over a large range of spatial frequencies. In the optimum case, the phase of the scattered wave and the introduced phase shift add up to −π/2 giving negative contrast. We obtain these optimum imaging conditions by employing an aberration-corrected electron microscope operating at voltages below the knock-on threshold for atom displacement and by shifting optimally the phase of the scattered electron wave. The optimum phase shift is achieved by adjusting appropriately the constant phase shift of the phase plate and the phase shift resulting from the defocus and the spherical aberration of the corrected objective lens. The realization of this imaging mode is the aim of the SALVE project (Sub-Å Low-Voltage Electron microscope).