原子表征与操控是实现原子制造必须突破的物理瓶颈之一. 像差校正电子显微学方法因其优异的空间分辨率, 为实现原子精细制造提供了有力的表征手段. 因此, 利用电子显微学手段, 在原子尺度对原子制造的材料及器件进行三维结构和性能的协同表征, 对于深入理解原子水平材料操控的物理机理具有非常重要的意义. 纳米团簇及纳米颗粒是原子制造材料与器件研究的主要对象之一, 具有丰富的物理化学性质和较高的可操纵性. 本文探讨纳米团簇/颗粒结构三维定量表征、使役条件下纳米团簇/颗粒结构演变定量表征、纳米颗粒/晶粒结构-成分-磁性协同定量表征等诸多方法与实例, 阐明了电子显微学表征手段的突破和发展为实现精细控制的原子制造材料提供了坚实基础.

Atomic scale characterization and manipulation is one of the physical bottlenecks, which needs to be broken when realizing atom manufacturing. The aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a powerful tool for structural characterization due to its exceptional spatial resolution. Therefore, it is very crucial to co-characterize atomic-scale three-dimensional structure and properties of atomic manufacturing materials by using TEM, which allows us to further understand the physics mechanism of atomic manipulation of materials. Nano-clusters and nanoparticles are two of the main objects in the studies of atomic manufacturing materials and devices, and possess rich physical and chemical properties and high manoeuverability. In this paper, we summarize the recent progress of quantitatively determining three-dimensional structures and magnetic properties of nanocluster, nanoparticles and nanograins, as well as their dynamic evolutions under the working conditions. The methodological breakthrough and development of electron microscopy techniques provide a solid foundation for precisely controlling atomic manufacturing materials.