Forum 01/24/2008

“Quantitative Electron Microscopy”

Arjan den Dekker – Assistant Professor of Model-based Signal Processing in Physical Systems, Delft Center for Systems and Control (DCSC), Delft University of Technology

This presentation discusses the prospects of quantitative, high-precision structure characterization using (transmission) electron microscopy. It is shown that in order to meet the advancing precision objectives of nanoscience, merely visual interpretation of the images is inadequate. The required precision can only be achieved using a quantitative, model-based approach. In fact, the electron microscope should be turned from a qualitative imaging instrument into a quantitative measuring tool. Structure characterization then becomes a parameter estimation problem. Furthermore, it is shown that statistical experimental design can be applied to find the microscope settings resulting into the highest attainable precision.