University of Victoria Breakthrough Revolutionizes Microscopy

A team of researchers at the University of Victoria has made a significant advancement in the field of electron microscopy. This breakthrough enables scientists to visualize atomic-scale structures using more accessible, lower-cost equipment. Under the leadership of Arthur Blackburn, co-director of the university’s Advanced Microscopy Facility, the team developed a novel imaging technique that achieves sub-Ångström resolution—less than one ten-billionth of a metre.

Traditionally, such high-resolution imaging required large and expensive transmission electron microscopes (TEM). However, this new method employs a compact, low-energy scanning electron microscope (SEM) paired with advanced computational techniques. “This work shows that high-resolution imaging doesn’t have to rely on expensive, complex equipment,” Blackburn stated. As the Hitachi High-Tech Canada Research Chair in Advanced Electron Microscopy, he emphasized the potential of this innovation to democratize access to cutting-edge microscopy.

The research, published in Nature Communications, highlights how this technique opens doors for laboratories worldwide. The approach allows for high-resolution imaging without the prohibitive costs, space requirements, and specialized personnel typically associated with traditional methods. By utilizing overlapping patterns of scattered electrons, the team constructed highly detailed images of samples, achieving a remarkable resolution of just 0.67 Ångström. This size is even smaller than that of an atom and is 1/10,000 the width of a human hair.

This advancement is poised to have transformative effects across various fields, particularly in materials science, nanotechnology, and structural biology. Blackburn noted, “The advance will most immediately benefit the research and production of 2D materials, which are promising in the development of next-generation electronics.” Furthermore, the technique could assist in determining the structures of small proteins, potentially leading to breakthroughs in health and disease research.

Overall, the development at the University of Victoria stands as a pivotal moment in microscopy, offering unprecedented opportunities for scientific exploration and innovation. With this achievement, researchers can now explore atomic structures with greater ease and efficiency, fundamentally shifting the landscape of microscopic imaging.