Imaging a sample in a TEM equipped with a phase plate

The invention relates to a method of forming an image of a sample in a transmission electron microscope equipped with a phase plate. Prior art use of such a phase plate can introduce artifacts in the form of ringing and a halo. These artifacts are caused by the abrupt changes in the Fourier domain due to the sharp edges of the phase plate in the diffraction plane. By moving the phase plate with respect to the non-diffraction beam (the diffraction pattern) while recording an image the sudden transition in the Fourier domain is changed to a more gradual transition, resulting in less artifacts.