Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 25, 2026

Microcrystal Electron Diffraction of Small Molecules
Published on: March 15, 2021
Surface crystallography via electron microscopy
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2220 Campus Dr, Cook Hall #2036, Evanston, IL 60208-3108, USA. arun@risc4.numis.nwu.edu
Abstract:
The study of atomic structure of surfaces is fundamental to the understanding of electronic, chemical and mechanical properties of surfaces and numerous techniques have been developed to this end. Transmission Electron Microscopy techniques, namely transmission electron imaging (TEM) and diffraction (TED), due to their ability to provide structural information at very high resolutions, have emerged as powerful tools for the study of surface structure. In this article we review the experimental method alongside the various post-processing routines that are necessary to extract vital structural information from experimental data.
Related Concept Videos
Cryo-electron Microscopy
Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction
Electron Tomography
Electron tomography can be performed either in TEM or STEM (scanning transmission...
Overview of Electron Microscopy
Determination of Crystal Structures
X-ray Crystallography
Diffraction
Diffraction is the change in the direction of travel experienced by an electromagnetic wave when it encounters a physical barrier whose dimensions are comparable to those of the wavelength of the light. X-rays are electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths about as long as the distance between neighboring...

