A special TEM-technique in which an electron transparent sample is bombarded with a finely focused electron beam (typically of a diameter of less than $\pu{10 nm}$) which can be scanned across the specimen or rocked across the optical axis and transmitted, secondary, back scattered and diffracted electrons as well as the characteristic X-ray spectrum can be observed. STEM essentially provides high resolution imaging of the inner microstructure and the surface of a thin sample (or small particles), as well as the possibility of chemical and structural characterization of micrometer and sub-micrometer domains through evaluation of the X-ray spectra and the electron diffraction pattern.