High-speed electron tomography sets new standards for 3-D images of the nanoworld
Monday, October 5, 2015 - 08:30
in Physics & Chemistry
Scientists from the Ernst Ruska-Centre in Forschungszentrum Jülich used a transmission electron microscope to record almost 3500 images in 3.5 seconds for the reconstruction of a 3D electron tomogram. Previously, 10 to 60 minutes and a ten-fold greater electron dose were required to record such image sequences. The new capability is particularly suitable for examining biological cells, bacteria and viruses, whose structure can be damaged by the electron beam. In addition, it enables dynamic processes, such as chemical reactions and electronic switching phenomena, to be visualized in real time in three dimensions with sub-nanometre precision. The findings have been published in the journal Scientific Reports.