3D Structure & Correlative Electron Microscopy
Materials are inherently three-dimensional, yet a two-dimensional projection cannot fully reveal pore connectivity, crack pathways, or buried interfaces. AEML uses STEM tomography and FIB-SEM serial sectioning to reconstruct complex microstructures in three dimensions. We connect these volumes with imaging, diffraction, and chemical analysis of the same regions, linking electrode-scale architecture to local structure and composition. This correlative approach supports the design of transport pathways and the understanding of failure in functional materials.
Revealing connected structures
A pore seen in a cross-section may be isolated or connected to a transport network. A crack can stop at an interface or continue through an entire particle. Three-dimensional analysis reveals the difference and makes connectivity, geometry, and spatial relationships accessible to measurement.
The same area fraction in a single section can represent very different three-dimensional architectures. Reconstructing the surrounding volume lets us distinguish isolated voids from connected pathways and identify narrow passages or local damage that can govern transport through a material.
STEM tomography and FIB-SEM serial sectioning
STEM tilt series reconstruct nanoscale morphology, while FIB-SEM serial sectioning captures larger microstructural volumes. Together, these techniques connect particle-level structure with electrode architecture, pore networks, and crack propagation.
The appropriate method depends on the size of the feature and the volume needed to represent it. We consider spatial resolution, specimen geometry, and sampling together: a nanoscale interface requires fine detail, while a heterogeneous electrode requires a sufficiently broad view of its constituent phases.
Correlative analysis of the same region
We use SEM to identify features of interest, FIB to prepare targeted cross-sections, and STEM / EDS / EELS to examine local structure and chemistry. Connecting observations from the same region helps explain why a crack forms, where a coating fails, or how an interface evolves.
A feature identified in a larger volume can then be examined at higher resolution, preserving the link between its local chemistry and its structural context. This is particularly useful when a rare defect or a small damaged region has a disproportionate influence on the response of the whole material.
From reconstructed volumes to material design
Our quantitative workflows connect segmentation with pore volume, connectivity, interfacial area, and particle morphology. Cryo and protected-transfer approaches extend this analysis to air-sensitive energy materials. The goal is to turn three-dimensional observations into information that guides processing and design.
We aim to compare how processing changes the continuity of transport networks and the distribution of interfaces. By connecting these descriptors with electrochemical or mechanical behavior, reconstructed volumes become a basis for evaluating which architectural changes are worth pursuing.