Spectroscopic imaging of single atoms within a bulk solid

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the use of aberration-corrected scanning transmission microscopy to spectroscopically image and analyze individual La atoms within a CaTiO3 crystal, providing insights into atomic-scale electronic environments.

Contribution

It introduces a method for localized spectroscopic imaging of single atoms in a bulk solid, with depth estimation capabilities, advancing atomic-scale characterization techniques.

Findings

Spectroscopic imaging of single La atoms achieved

Spectroscopic information is spatially confined around the atom

Depth of atoms within the crystal can be estimated

Abstract

The ability to localize, identify and measure the electronic environment of individual atoms will provide fundamental insights into many issues in materials science, physics and nanotechnology. We demonstrate, using an aberration-corrected scanning transmission microscope, the spectroscopic imaging of single La atoms inside CaTiO3. Dynamical simulations confirm that the spectroscopic information is spatially confined around the scattering atom. Furthermore we show how the depth of the atom within the crystal may be estimated.