Interference scanning transmission electron microscope

An interference scanning transmission electron microscope for detecting differential phase contrast (DPC) with higher sensitivity, the interference scanning transmission electron microscope comprising:

• an electron source configured to emit an electron beam;
• a lens configured to irradiate a sample with a converged electron beam;
• a bi-prism configured to divide an electron wave transmitted through the sample into a first electron wave and a second electron wave;
• a detector configured to detect an interference fringe, wherein the interference fringe is a result of a superposition of the first electron wave and the second electron wave;
• a first deflector configured to scan the electron beam across the sample;
• a second deflector configured to offset beam movement caused by the first deflector such that a beam position at the bi-prism remains constant during scanning
• a processor communicatively coupled to the detector, wherein the processor is configured to:
• interlock control of the first and second deflectors to maintain beam alignment at the bi-prism,
• receive the interference fringe from the detector,
• calculate a phase difference between the first electron wave and the second electron wave based on inference patterns in the interference fringe, and
• detect the DPC based on the phase difference.