However, the technique of annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF-STEM), which is typically used on material specimens, more effectively suppresses phase and diffraction contrast, providing image intensities that vary with the projected mass-thickness of samples up to micrometres thick for materials with low atomic number. ADF-STEM also acts as a low-pass filter, eliminating the edge-enhancing artifacts common in BF/HRTEM.
However, the method of annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF-STEM), which is generally applied to material specimens, more effectively suppresses phase and diffraction contrast, providing image intensities that vary with the projected mass-thickness of samples up to micrometres thick for materials with low atomic number. ADF-STEM also functions as a low-pass filter, eliminating the edge-enhancing artifacts common in BF/HRTEM.