Abstract NMOS (N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor) hot carrier drive current degradation failure mechanism was investigated by dual-lens electron holography and scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM). De-activation of phosphorus dopant was observed on the drain side of hot carrier stressed NMOS devices. From the measurements, hydrogen de-activation of dopants by hot carrier stress is hypothesized, and its mechanism is verified by investigating junction profile on an unstressed NMOS device with and without hydrogen plasmon treatment and with subsequent 400°C annealing. Phosphorus dopant deactivation was observed in the device after H2 plasma treatment at room temperature, same as the dopant de-activation on drain side of hot carrier stressed devices, while 400°C annealing led to dissociation of P-H (or H-Si-P) bond and the recovery of the device junction.
There are many possible instrumental geometries for obtaining micro-X-ray fluorescence elemental information on materials. The use of spatial and spectral filtering is critical for elemental compositional analysis, mapping, and quantification. Nuclear materials offer an especially unique challenge during elemental analysis, as their emitted natural radiation increases detector noise. A solution to this issue is the use of doubly curved crystal optics within spectrometers, as they not only filter out background radiation but only pass the on-axis X-ray energy of choice to the detector. As a result, there is a significant improvement in the sensitivity and detection limits afforded by the incorporation of these optics into the spectrometer. The work presented here demonstrates the applicability of a high-resolution X-ray spectrometer in the determination of the U content of UO2 fuel pellets and the improved elemental selectivity compared to other traditional, polycapillary-based, X-ray fluorescence spectrometer setups.
QGIS is a well-established free open-source geographical information system that provides the ability to combine microscopic and analytical information from multiple software platforms on a microscope. Here information is combined from multiple software platforms on a scanning electron microscope and separately on an electron microprobe. To ease the integration of electron microscope data into QGIS, python scripts are used to extract the spatial information for the images and provide it to QGIS, avoiding the need for manual image registration. As shown by examples, QGIS provides a platform for the analyst to document their analysis with extensive features.
Imaging extremely beam-sensitive materials using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) poses significant challenges due to rapid sample degradation under electron irradiation. This study demonstrates the application of the Gatan Metro® direct detection electron counting camera to acquire high-quality imaging and diffraction data under ultra-low electron dose rate conditions. A 2D polyimine thin film (2D-PI-BPDA), which degrades beyond 100e-/Ų at 300kV, served as the model system. The Metro camera’s superior sensitivity enabled both precise alignment to a zone-axis orientation and data collection within this dose budget, preserving structural integrity. These results highlight the role of advanced direct detection camera technology in expanding TEM capabilities for characterizing the pristine structure of highly beam-sensitive materials, such as 2D polymers, without compromising resolution.
Abstract Microscopy is entering an era of automated laboratories and AI-enabled instruments, often justified by a simple narrative of automating experiments to collect more data and train better models. Here we argue that, for microscopy, this framing is incomplete and can be counterproductive.
Electron ptychography is rapidly transforming from a specialized computational method into a mainstream imaging tool with the potential to redefine atomic-scale microscopy. By solving the complex multiple-scattering process to decouple illumination from specimen interaction, multislice electron ptychography (MEP) surpasses conventional resolution limits while providing dose-efficient, three-dimensional structural and field information from a single 4D-STEM dataset. Once limited to a handful of expert groups, the technique has now reached a turning point, enabled by fast reconstruction algorithms, high-dynamic-range detectors, and community-driven development initiatives that make sub-angstrom, depth-resolved imaging possible on widely available instrumentation. This article summarizes the inaugural Cornell–MIT electron ptychography workshop, held in July 2025, which brought together thirty researchers from around the world for an immersive week of lectures, hands-on data acquisition, and real-time 3D reconstruction. The event showcased how MEP can now be performed in hours rather than days, even on consumer-grade laptops, and how it reveals unprecedented insight into defects, interfaces, and beam-sensitive materials. By distilling both the scientific breakthroughs and the educational experiences of the workshop, this summary aims to broaden awareness of electron ptychography’s growing accessibility and its potential to impact diverse fields, from currently relevant energy, quantum, and magnetic materials through next-generation semiconductor devices and even challenging soft materials in the life sciences domain. The workshop lectures, practical guides, and example datasets have been made freely available to the public and are linked in the supplementary materials section of this article.
SampleMicroscopy Listserver I've been charged with finding one, unifying sample, that would be interesting to grade-school age students and be compatible with SEM, AFM and TEM.The plan is to produce a video in place of our usual inperson outreach activities.The SEM and AFM seem straightforward but finding meaningful data from the same sample with the TEM is proving difficult.The imaging tools I have available are Bruker Dimension Icon AFM, Zeiss Merlin SEM, Helios G3X FIB/SEM with Quorum Cryo attachment, and Tecnai Osiris 200 kV TEM/STEM.Any suggestions would be helpful!James R.
Abstract Electron microscopy (EM) is more than a research tool — it is a window into the invisible and a pedagogical powerhouse waiting to be unleashed in K–12 classrooms. Here we present Under the Scope, a modular, scalable outreach program that places EM at the center of science education, using it to teach semiconductor literacy, core physics, and interdisciplinary thinking through awe-inspiring, hands-on exploration. Developed at Purdue University, this curriculum engages students with real optical and scanning electron microscopes, guiding them to draw connections between natural systems and advanced technologies like solar panels and LEDs. EM becomes not just a tool for learning, but a spark for STEM identity and creativity. This paper presents our framework, implementation, and outcomes, making the case that integrating EM into classrooms can revolutionize how students see science — and themselves.
The Direct Electron Apollo camera represents a major advancement in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) through its event-based electron counting (EBEC) architecture, which detects individual electron events in real time. This design minimizes coincidence loss and improves detective quantum efficiency (DQE) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) across a wide range of dose rates. Apollo’s performance has been demonstrated across multiple cryo-EM applications. In single-particle analysis (SPA), it achieves sub-2 Å reconstructions at high dose rates, outperforming frame-based detectors limited by coincidence loss. In cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), its fast frame rate and low coincidence loss enables further development of advanced acquisition schemes such as fast incremental single exposure (FISE) and continuous-rotation tomography, improving throughput and image quality. For micro-electron diffraction (microED), Apollo captures atomic-resolution data in under a minute by accurately detecting both strong and weak diffraction signals, reaching resolutions as fine as 0.5 Å. Across all techniques, Apollo’s high DQE, rapid readout, and efficient on-chip processing offer improved resolution, faster acquisition, and greater experimental flexibility, setting a new standard for detector performance in structural biology.
Super-resolution microscopy surpasses the limits of conventional fluorescence microscopy and enables researchers to visualize and characterize subcellular structures, nanoparticles, and biomarkers with high sensitivity and sub-20-nm resolution. Recent efforts in the field have focused on making super-resolution a precise and quantitative tool, much more accessible to scientists of any skill level. Automation of sample preparation, image acquisition, and analysis with integrated desktop microscopy, and software solutions like those found in the Aplo Platform, are making super-resolution a reliable, user-friendly tool for scientists to assess fundamental disease mechanisms, study drug-cell interactions, and better develop therapies, all with unprecedented detail.
In this article we present an integration of a Raman spectroscopy system with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and present several applications demonstrating the advantages of correlative microscopy using these technologies. Combining Raman and SEM allows direct collection of data describing the molecular and lattice vibrations in materials and the spatial distribution of different chemical species from the same sample area at high resolution. Examples include analysis of carbon types in a carbon-based battery electrode, SEM EDS analysis of a geological sample, and identification of contaminants on a fuel injector. The information provided by Raman spectroscopy complements the ultrastructural details from SEM imaging, and together the data provide comprehensive insights into the chemistry and structure of the samples.
Electron microscopy is a powerful technique used to study materials at the atomic scale. However, many samples are sensitive to electron irradiation. One way to reduce radiation damage is to observe the sample at low-dose conditions, although, at extreme low-dose conditions, each single frame of images is very noisy, which makes such experiments difficult. Since most of the specimens for high-resolution electron microscopy are periodic, a noise filter technique in Fourier space can be used to detect periodic regions by reducing the noise. Thus, we have developed a real-time filter based on the Wiener filter, which will work even for individual images under extreme low-dose conditions and can display noise-filtered images more than ten frames per second. This real-time noise filter facilitates demanding low-dose experiments by helping an operator find a good sample and to adjust the experimental conditions.
