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UVic Team Uses Low-Energy SEM to Achieve 0.67 Å Atomic Imaging

The peer-reviewed method reconstructs images from overlapping electron-scatter patterns to make atomic-scale microscopy more accessible.

Overview

  • University of Victoria researchers report sub-ångström resolution on a compact scanning electron microscope using ptychography.
  • The study, published October 14, 2025 in Nature Communications, demonstrates 0.67 Å resolution at 20 keV.
  • The approach leverages computational reconstruction of overlapping electron-scatter patterns rather than relying on high-energy transmission electron microscopes.
  • Lead author Arthur Blackburn cites immediate benefits for 2D materials research and future potential in nanotechnology and structural biology.
  • The project involved Hitachi High-Tech Canada and received support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.