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Related Concept Videos

Overview of Electron Microscopy01:25

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.
Transmission Electron Microscopy01:15

Transmission Electron Microscopy

In 1931, physicist Ernst Ruska—building on the idea that magnetic fields can direct an electron beam just as lenses can direct a beam of light in an optical microscope—developed the first prototype of the electron microscope. This development led to the development of the field of electron microscopy. In the transmission electron microscope (TEM), electrons are produced by a hot tungsten element and accelerated by a potential difference in an electron gun, which gives them up to 400 keV in...
Scanning Electron Microscopy01:07

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.
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
Cryo-electron Microscopy01:28

Cryo-electron Microscopy

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...
Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction01:07

Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction

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.
Electron Tomography
Electron tomography can be performed either in TEM or STEM (scanning transmission...

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Molecule-by-molecule writing using a focused electron beam.

Willem F van Dorp1, Xiaoyan Zhang, Ben L Feringa

  • 1Applied Physics, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands. w.f.van.dorp@rug.nl

ACS Nano
|October 17, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Focused electron-beam-induced deposition (FEBID) can write features molecule-by-molecule, revealing the ultimate resolution limit for electron optical lithography. This technique enables precise, sub-nanometer feature writing for advanced applications.

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Area of Science:

  • Nanotechnology
  • Materials Science
  • Physics

Background:

  • Lithography techniques are crucial for miniaturization, but their resolution limits hinder further advancements.
  • Electron microscopy can image single atoms, raising questions about the possibility of writing them.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the ultimate spatial resolution achievable with electron optical lithography.
  • To investigate the feasibility of writing single atoms or molecules using focused electron-beam-induced deposition (FEBID).

Main Methods:

  • Utilized focused electron-beam-induced deposition (FEBID) on graphene substrates with an organometallic precursor.
  • Monitored deposition at the molecular level to assess process control and resolution.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated molecule-by-molecule deposition, achieving sub-nanometer feature writing with nanometer precision.
  • Identified inherent process mechanisms that limit further increases in control and resolution.

Conclusions:

  • Established the resolution limit for electron optical lithography, showing it is achievable at the molecular level.
  • FEBID's capability for writing isolated, sub-nanometer features opens possibilities for graphene modification and catalysis.