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Atomic Resolution in Near-Edge Core-Loss Mapping Beyond the Conventional Delocalization Limit

Jiayi Wu1, Juri Barthel2, Leslie J. Allen3, and Mitsutaka Haruta1

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 056402 – Published 28 July, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/9y69-62kf

Abstract

The spatial resolution of core-loss electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) is limited by the delocalization of inelastic scattering from long-range Coulomb interactions, especially for light-element edges at low energy losses. Here we demonstrate atomic-resolution imaging of the Si L edge in Si [110] using dark-field annular EELS that selectively detects high-angle inelastic scattering. Although the intrinsic excitation delocalization remains unchanged, momentum-transfer–selective detection suppresses long-range contributions, enabling the 1.36 Å Si dumbbell to be resolved.

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Outline

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 056402– Published 28 July, 2026
  • Received 10 March 2026
  • Revised 29 May 2026
  • Accepted 29 June 2026
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.

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