New Electron Imaging Method Expands Access to Atomic-Level Visualization

Scientists at the University of Victoria have developed a new way to capture atomic-scale images using compact, lower-cost electron microscopes. The achievement, described in Nature Communications, shows that using advanced computational imaging, a standard scanning electron microscope (SEM) can reach sub-Ångström resolution—clarity once attainable only with the much larger and more expensive transmission electron microscope (TEM).

The work, led by Arthur Blackburn, demonstrates that high-precision imaging no longer depends solely on complex, high-energy instruments. “This work shows that high-resolution imaging doesn’t have to rely on expensive, complex equipment,” said Blackburn. “We’ve demonstrated that a relatively simple SEM, when paired with advanced computational techniques, can achieve a resolution that rivals or even surpasses traditional methods.”

The team achieved a resolution of 0.67 Ångström—less than the diameter of an atom and about one ten-thousandth the width of a human hair—using a technique known as ptychography. This approach reconstructs images from overlapping patterns of scattered electrons, enabling precise measurement of atomic arrangements even at lower electron energies. By applying ptychography to an SEM, the researchers reached imaging performance previously associated only with high-energy analysis through TEM.

Lower-energy SEMs have several advantages: they are more compact, cost-efficient, and easier to operate. The new method therefore makes atomic-resolution imaging available to laboratories that might not have the resources or infrastructure for large-scale facilities. As Blackburn noted, this improvement reduces barriers related to instrument cost, space, and specialized expertise.

The advance holds potential for a broad range of disciplines. “This could be transformative for fields like materials science, nanotechnology and structural biology,” Blackburn said. In the near term, enhanced SEM capability will support research and production of two-dimensional materials, used in developing next-generation electronic devices. Over time, it may also aid studies of small protein structures, offering new insights relevant to human health and disease.