Nanotomography: Real-Space Volume Imaging with Scanning Probe Microscopy

Abstract

Nanotomography is a general procedure for high-resolution volume imaging based on scanning probe microscopy (SPM). The approach is similar to sputter depth profiling. The specimen under study is eroded step by step and the remaining material is imaged with scanning probe microscopy at each freshly exposed surface. From the resulting series of images the specimen’s three-dimensional microstructure can be reconstructed with methods adopted from computed tomography. This approach is expected to be a simple and versatile means for real-space volume imaging of various materials and physical properties with micron, nanometer, and even atomic resolution.