Dissemination of IT for the Promotion of Materials Science (DoITPoMS)

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Introduction

Transmission electron microscopy is an immensely valuable and versatile technique for the characterisation of materials. It exploits the very small wavelengths of high-energy electrons to probe solids at the atomic scale. In addition, information about local structure (by imaging of defects such as dislocations), average structure (using diffraction to identify crystal class and lattice parameter) and chemical composition may be collected almost simultaneously. However, use of the microscope is highly skilled, and along with the interpretation of the information gained requires a good understanding of the processes occurring in the microscope, and the structure of materials.

This TLP provides a solid basis for learning the theory behind the electron microscope and the concepts needed to begin learning to use one.