Direct Imaging of Electron Orbitals with a Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates atomic-scale imaging of electron orbitals in a 2D heterostructure using secondary electron emission in a scanning transmission electron microscope, revealing contrast related to atomic orbitals and interlayer bonding.

Contribution

It introduces the application of SEEBIC imaging to visualize electron orbital ionization cross sections at atomic resolution in 2D materials.

Findings

Double Se lattice site shows higher emission than W site.

Atomic level SEEBIC contrast within a single material is achievable.

Interlayer bonding influences electron orbital contrast.

Abstract

Recent studies of secondary electron (SE) emission in scanning transmission electron microscopes suggest that material's properties such as electrical conductivity, connectivity, and work function can be probed with atomic scale resolution using a technique known as secondary electron e-beam-induced current (SEEBIC). Here, we apply the SEEBIC imaging technique to a stacked 2D heterostructure device to reveal the spatially resolved electron orbital ionization cross section of an encapsulated WSe2 layer. We find that the double Se lattice site shows higher emission than the W site, which is at odds with first-principles modelling of ionization of an isolated WSe2 cluster. These results illustrate that atomic level SEEBIC contrast within a single material is possible and that an enhanced understanding of atomic scale SE emission is required to account for the observed contrast. In turn, this suggests that subtle information about interlayer bonding and the effect on electron orbitals can be directly revealed with this technique.