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Overview of Electron Microscopy

Overview of Electron Microscopy

The wavelengths of visible light ultimately limit the maximum theoretical resolution of images created by light microscopes. Most light microscopes can only magnify 1000X, and a few can magnify up to 1500X. Electrons, like electromagnetic radiation, can behave like waves, but with wavelengths of 0.005 nm, they produce significantly greater resolution up to 0.05 nm as compared to 500 nm for visible light. An electron microscope (EM) can create a sharp image that is magnified up to 2,000,000X.

Overview of Microscopy Techniques

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The early pioneers of microscopy opened a window into the invisible world of microorganisms. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes that leveraged nonvisible light, such as fluorescence microscopy that uses an ultraviolet light source and electron microscopy that uses short-wavelength electron beams. These advances significantly improved magnification, image resolution, and contrast. By comparison, the...

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Scanning Electron Microscopy

A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to study the surface features of a sample by using an electron beam that scans the sample surface in a two-dimensional manner. Typically, areas between ~1 centimeter to 5 micrometers in width can be imaged. SEM can be used to image bacteria, viruses, tissues as well as larger samples like insects. Conventional SEM gives a magnification ranging from 20X to 30,000X and spatial resolution of 50 to 100 nanometers.
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Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction

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Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) can be used to determine the 3D structure of biological samples with the help of techniques such as electron microscope tomography and single-particle reconstruction. While single-particle reconstruction can examine macromolecules and macromolecular complexes in vitro conditions only, tomography permits the study of cell components or small cells in vivo.
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Conventional electron microscopy (EM) involves dehydration, fixation, and staining of biological samples, which distorts the native state of biological molecules and results in several artifacts. Also, the high-energy electron beam damages the sample and makes it difficult to obtain high-resolution images. These issues can be addressed using cryo-EM, which uses frozen samples and gentler electron beams. The technique was developed by Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank, and Richard Henderson, for...

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Updated: May 30, 2026

Studying Dynamic Processes of Nano-sized Objects in Liquid using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Studying Dynamic Processes of Nano-sized Objects in Liquid using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Published on: February 5, 2017

Picoscale science and nanoscale engineering by electron microscopy.

Zhong Lin Wang¹

¹School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0245, USA. zhong.wang@mse.gatech.edu

Journal of Electron Microscopy

|August 17, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

A proposed electron microscope will offer picosecond time-resolved data at picometer resolution. This advanced microscopy will enable in situ measurements of nanoscale properties under various stimuli, driving materials science and beyond.

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Published on: October 1, 2007

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Biology
Physics
Chemistry

Background:

Current electron microscopy limitations in temporal and spatial resolution.
Need for in situ characterization of nanoscale properties under stimuli.

Purpose of the Study:

To propose a future electron microscope design.
To achieve picoseconds time-resolved information at picometer spatial resolution.
To enable in situ measurement of physical and chemical properties.

Main Methods:

Design of a comprehensive scanning/transmission electron microscope.
Integration of local electric, mechanical, thermal, magnetic, and optical stimulations.
Operation under vacuum or quasi-ambient environments.

Main Results:

Capability for picoseconds time-resolved data acquisition.
Achieving sub-nanometer and potentially picometer spatial resolution.
In situ property measurements on nanometer-scale regions.

Conclusions:

The proposed microscope will enable picoscopy and nanoscopy.
It will be a key tool for picoscale science and nanoscale technology development.
Applications span materials science, biology, physics, and chemistry.