X-ray and electron microscopy of actinide materials

Actinide materials demonstrate a wide variety of interesting physical properties in both bulk and nanoscale form. To better understand these materials, a broad array of microscopy techniques have been employed, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), high-angle annular dark-field imaging (HAADF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (WDXS), electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM). Here these techniques will be reviewed, highlighting advances made in the physics, materials science, chemistry, and biology of actinide materials through microscopy. Construction of a spin-polarized TEM will be discussed, considering its potential for examining the nanoscale magnetic structure of actinides as well as broader materials and devices, such as those for computational magnetic memory. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.