Determining On-Axis Crystal Thickness with Quantitative Position-Averaged Incoherent Bright-Field Signal in an Aberration-corrected STEM

Abstract: An accurate determination of specimen thickness is essential for quantitative analytical electron microscopy. Here we demonstrate that a position-averaged incoherent bright-field signal recorded on an absolute scale can be used to determine the thickness of on-axis crystals with a precision of \pm1.6 nm. This method measures both the crystalline and the non-crystalline parts (surface amorphous layers) of the sample. However, it avoids the systematic error resulting from surface plasmons contributions to the inelastic mean free path thickness estimated by electron energy loss spectroscopy.