Enhancing STEM Tomography via Generative Interpolation of Tilt Series for Nanoparticle Analysis

Transmission electron microscopy offers atomic resolution, which is critical for analyzing nanomaterials. However, its two-dimensional nature limits its ability to capture full three-dimensional (3D) morphologies, which has motivated the development of 3D techniques such as electron tomography. While these techniques improve visualization, they are constrained by beam sensitivity, which can damage materials during prolonged exposure. In this study, we demonstrated the efficacy of the Frame Interpolation for Large Motion (FILM) method -augmenting STEM tilt series by synthesizing intermediate projections between measured tilt images-for enhancing the quality of the 3D reconstruction of nanoparticles using scanning transmission electron microscopy tomography. When applied to a nanooctahedron, a hollow nanotube, and a nanoframe, FILM outperformed traditional linear interpolation, yielding superior image quality assessment scores, particularly for complex structures acquired with large tilt intervals. However, when the structure is relatively simple and the angular sampling is sufficiently dense, FILM interpolation may not yield further improvement and can even oversmooth subtle surface features. This method is particularly promising for the visualization of intricate nanostructures, indicating its potential for various applications in electron tomography.