Nanoscale Deformation Analysis With High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy and Digital Image Correlation

Abstract

We present an application of the digital image correlation (DIC) method to highresolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images for nanoscale deformation analysis. The combination of DIC and HRTEM offers both the ultrahigh spatial resolution and high displacement detection sensitivity that are not possible with other microscopebased DIC techniques. We demonstrate the accuracy and utility of the HRTEMDIC technique through displacement and strain analysis on amorphous silicon. Two types of error sources resulting from the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image noise and electromagneticlens distortions are quantitatively investigated via rigidbody translation experiments. The local and global DIC approaches are applied for the analysis of diffusionand reactioninduced deformation fields in electrochemically lithiated amorphous silicon. The DIC technique coupled with HRTEM provides a new avenue for the deformation analysis of materials at the nanometer length scales.