_version_ 1866916834705408000
author Hennicke, Vincent
Hachmann, Max
Klar, Paul Benjamin
Reinke, Patrick Y. A.
Pakendorf, Tim
Meyer, Jan
Delsim-Hashemi, Hossein
Barthelmess, Miriam
Veedu, Sreevidya Thekku
Fischer, Pontus
Rodrigues, Ana C.
Qelaj, Arlinda
Wernsmann, Juna
Lemery, Francois
Günther, Sebastian
Falke, Sven
Fröjd, Erik
Mozzanica, Aldo
Palatinus, Lukas
Rossnagel, Kai
Schmitt, Bernd
Chapman, Henry N.
Leemans, Wim
Flöttmann, Klaus
Meents, Alke
author_facet Hennicke, Vincent
Hachmann, Max
Klar, Paul Benjamin
Reinke, Patrick Y. A.
Pakendorf, Tim
Meyer, Jan
Delsim-Hashemi, Hossein
Barthelmess, Miriam
Veedu, Sreevidya Thekku
Fischer, Pontus
Rodrigues, Ana C.
Qelaj, Arlinda
Wernsmann, Juna
Lemery, Francois
Günther, Sebastian
Falke, Sven
Fröjd, Erik
Mozzanica, Aldo
Palatinus, Lukas
Rossnagel, Kai
Schmitt, Bernd
Chapman, Henry N.
Leemans, Wim
Flöttmann, Klaus
Meents, Alke
contents Understanding structure at the atomic scale is fundamental for the development of materials with improved properties. Compared to other probes providing atomic resolution, electrons offer the strongest interaction in combination with minimal radiation damage. Here, we report the successful implementation of MeV electron diffraction for ab initio 3D structure determination at atomic resolution. Using ultrashort electron pulses from the REGAE accelerator, we obtained high-quality diffraction data from muscovite and $1T-TaS_2$, enabling structure refinements according to the dynamical scattering theory and the accurate determination of hydrogen atom positions. The increased penetration depth of MeV electrons allows for structure determination from samples significantly thicker than those typically applicable in electron diffraction. These findings establish MeV electron diffraction as a viable approach for investigating a broad range of materials, including nanostructures and radiation-sensitive compounds, and open up new opportunities for in-situ and time-resolved experiments.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_06936
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle 3D atomic structure determination with ultrashort-pulse MeV electron diffraction
Hennicke, Vincent
Hachmann, Max
Klar, Paul Benjamin
Reinke, Patrick Y. A.
Pakendorf, Tim
Meyer, Jan
Delsim-Hashemi, Hossein
Barthelmess, Miriam
Veedu, Sreevidya Thekku
Fischer, Pontus
Rodrigues, Ana C.
Qelaj, Arlinda
Wernsmann, Juna
Lemery, Francois
Günther, Sebastian
Falke, Sven
Fröjd, Erik
Mozzanica, Aldo
Palatinus, Lukas
Rossnagel, Kai
Schmitt, Bernd
Chapman, Henry N.
Leemans, Wim
Flöttmann, Klaus
Meents, Alke
Materials Science
Accelerator Physics
Understanding structure at the atomic scale is fundamental for the development of materials with improved properties. Compared to other probes providing atomic resolution, electrons offer the strongest interaction in combination with minimal radiation damage. Here, we report the successful implementation of MeV electron diffraction for ab initio 3D structure determination at atomic resolution. Using ultrashort electron pulses from the REGAE accelerator, we obtained high-quality diffraction data from muscovite and $1T-TaS_2$, enabling structure refinements according to the dynamical scattering theory and the accurate determination of hydrogen atom positions. The increased penetration depth of MeV electrons allows for structure determination from samples significantly thicker than those typically applicable in electron diffraction. These findings establish MeV electron diffraction as a viable approach for investigating a broad range of materials, including nanostructures and radiation-sensitive compounds, and open up new opportunities for in-situ and time-resolved experiments.
title 3D atomic structure determination with ultrashort-pulse MeV electron diffraction
topic Materials Science
Accelerator Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.06936