Quantitative Electron Beam‐Single Atom Interactions Enabled by Sub‐20‐pm Precision Targeting

Abstract

The ability to probe and control matter at the picometer scale is essential foradvancing quantum and energy technologies. Scanning transmission electronmicroscopy offers powerful capabilities for materials analysis andmodification, but sample damage, drift, and scan distortions hinder singleatom analysis and deterministic manipulation. Materials analysis andmodification via electron–solid interactions can be transformed by precisedelivery of electrons to a specified atomic location, maintaining the beamposition despite drift, and minimizing collateral dose. Here a fast, low-dose,sub-20-pm precision electron beam positioning technique is developed,“atomic lock-on,” (ALO), which offers the ability to position the beam on aspecific atomic column without previously irradiating that column. Thistechnique is used to lock onto a single selected atomic location to repeatedlymeasure its weak electron energy loss signal despite sample drift. Moreover,electron beam-matter interactions in single atomic events are measured with𝛍s time resolution. This enables observation of single-atom dynamics, suchas atomic bistability, revealing partially bonded atomic configurations andrecapture phenomena. This opens prospects for using electron microscopyfor high-precision measurements and deterministic control of matter forquantum technologies.