Atomically resolved images from near node photoelectron holography experiments on Al(111)

Szoke's concept for electron holography is hampered by forward scattering t hat dominates electron diffraction from electron point sources below the su rface top layer. Forward scattering was proposed to be suppressed if the an isotropic nature of the electron source wave is exploited [T. Greber and J. Osterwalder, Chem. Phys. Lett. 256, 653 (1996)]. Experiments show a strong suppression of forward scattering in Al(111) if Al 2s photoelectrons (E-ki n = 952 eV) are measured near the nodal plane of the outgoing p wave. The h olographic reconstruction from such diffraction data provides three dimensi onal images of atomic sites in unit cells with a size of more than 10 Angst rom.