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Related Concept Videos

X-ray Crystallography02:18

X-ray Crystallography

The size of the unit cell and the arrangement of atoms in a crystal may be determined from measurements of the diffraction of X-rays by the crystal, termed 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...
Determination of Crystal Structures01:29

Determination of Crystal Structures

In the late 1800s, the revelation that light extended beyond visible wavelengths led to the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen. Recognized as high-energy electromagnetic radiation with short wavelengths, X-rays prompted exploration into their interaction with crystals. Max von Laue proposed in 1912 that the periodic arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules in crystals would cause them to diffract X-rays, a hypothesis confirmed through experiments with copper sulfate and zinc sulfide...
Unit Cells01:18

Unit Cells

A crystal's internal structure is an orderly array of atoms, ions, or molecules, and the details of this array significantly influence the solid's properties. In a crystal, periodically repeating 'structural motifs' - which could be atoms, molecules, or groups thereof - create a 'space lattice.' This is essentially a three-dimensional, infinite array of points, each surrounded by its neighbors in an identical way, forming the basic structure of the crystal.A 'unit cell' is a theoretical...
Atomic Force Microscopy01:08

Atomic Force Microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a type of scanning probe microscopy that can analyze topographic details of various specimens like ceramics, glass, polymers, and biological samples. AFM offers over 1000 times more resolution than the optical imaging system. Images generated from AFM are three-dimensional surface profiles, offering an advantage over the flat, two-dimensional images from other imaging techniques.
The AFM Probe
The probe is regarded as the heart of any AFM setup and comprises the...
X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples01:10

X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples

X-ray diffraction or XRD is an analytical tool that utilizes X-rays to study ordered structures such as crystalline organic and inorganic samples, polycrystalline materials, proteins, carbohydrates, and drugs.
According to Bragg's law, when X-rays strike the sample positioned on a stage, the rays are  scattered by the electron clouds around the sample atoms. The  X-ray diffraction or scattering is caused by constructive interference of the X-ray waves that reflect off the internal crystal...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

Application of Monolayer Graphene to Cryo-Electron Microscopy Grids for High-resolution Structure Determination
07:57

Application of Monolayer Graphene to Cryo-Electron Microscopy Grids for High-resolution Structure Determination

Published on: November 10, 2023

Graphene unit cell imaging by holographic coherent diffraction.

Jean-Nicolas Longchamp1, Tatiana Latychevskaia, Conrad Escher

  • 1Physik Institut der Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland.

Physical Review Letters
|July 9, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Researchers imaged a freestanding graphene sheet using low-energy electrons, achieving 2 Å resolution. This breakthrough enables imaging of individual proteins on graphene, advancing nanoscale biological studies.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 10, 2026

Application of Monolayer Graphene to Cryo-Electron Microscopy Grids for High-resolution Structure Determination
07:57

Application of Monolayer Graphene to Cryo-Electron Microscopy Grids for High-resolution Structure Determination

Published on: November 10, 2023

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10:12

Graphene Enclosure of Chemically Fixed Mammalian Cells for Liquid-Phase Electron Microscopy

Published on: September 21, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Electron Microscopy
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Graphene's unique properties make it suitable for advanced imaging applications.
  • High-resolution imaging of nanoscale materials is crucial for scientific advancement.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To achieve ultra-high resolution imaging of a freestanding graphene sheet.
  • To demonstrate a novel imaging technique combining coherent diffraction and holography with low-energy electrons.
  • To explore the potential of this method for biological molecule imaging.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a combination of coherent diffraction and holography.
  • Employed low-energy electrons (around 100 eV) for imaging.
  • Reconstructed a 210 nm graphene sheet from a single diffraction pattern.

Main Results:

  • Achieved an imaging resolution of 2 Å.
  • Successfully reconstructed the arrangement of 660,000 individual graphene unit cells.
  • Demonstrated that low-energy electrons do not damage biological molecules.

Conclusions:

  • The developed technique offers unprecedented resolution for graphene imaging.
  • This method holds significant promise for imaging individual proteins and other biological molecules.
  • Future work will focus on developing protocols for protein deposition onto graphene sheets for imaging.