Nanometer-Scale Imaging of Lattice Deformation with Transmission Electron Micrograph

We demonstrate a new method of imaging crystal lattice strain with spatial resolution on the nanometer scale. The method, Fourier transform mapping (FTM), is based on the mapping of spot positions in local Fourier-transformed images from a transmission electron microscope image. Lattice deformation caused by island formation due to strained epitaxial growth is imaged and the relief of the strain in the lateral direction, as well as that in the normal direction, is clearly visible in the lattice-deformation image.