Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 6, 2026
07:19
Microfluidic Imaging Flow Cytometry by Asymmetric-detection Time-stretch Optical Microscopy ATOM
Published on: June 28, 2017
10.7K
Single Atom Detection from Low Contrast-to-Noise Ratio Electron Microscopy Images
J Fatermans1,2, A J den Dekker2,3, K Müller-Caspary1
1Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT), University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium.
Physical Review Letters
|August 18, 2018
Summary
Detecting single atoms is crucial. A new method combines physics-based model fitting and model-order selection to reliably identify single atoms in low-contrast images, overcoming radiation damage challenges in electron microscopy.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Physics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Single atom detection is vital for scientific advancement.
- Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with aberration correction shows promise for single atom imaging.
- High-energy electrons in STEM can cause radiation damage, necessitating low electron doses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a reliable method for detecting single atoms.
- To address challenges of low signal-to-noise ratio and weak contrast in electron microscopy images, particularly for light elements.
- To overcome limitations imposed by radiation damage from high-energy electrons.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing physics-based model fitting to analyze image data.
- Employing a model-order selection method to enhance detection reliability.
- Applying these techniques to scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) data.
Main Results:
- Achieved high reliability in single atom detection.
- Successfully improved the detection of single atoms in images with low signal-to-noise and weak contrast.
- Demonstrated a method to overcome radiation damage limitations.
Conclusions:
- The proposed method enables robust single atom detection.
- This approach is particularly beneficial for imaging light-element nanomaterials.
- It advances the capabilities of electron microscopy for atomic-scale analysis.
Related Concept Videos
03:26Electron Configuration of Multielectron Atoms
65.2K
The alkali metal sodium (atomic number 11) has one more electron than the neon atom. This electron must go into the lowest-energy subshell available, the 3s orbital, giving a 1s22s22p63s1 configuration. The electrons occupying the outermost shell orbital(s) (highest value of n) are called valence electrons, and those occupying the inner shell orbitals are called core electrons. Since the core electron shells correspond to noble gas electron configurations, we can abbreviate electron...
65.2K
02:28Electronic Structure of Atoms
28.8K
An atom comprises protons and neutrons, which are contained inside the dense, central core called the nucleus, with electrons present around the nucleus. Taking into account the wave–particle duality of electrons and the uncertainty in position around the nucleus, quantum mechanics provides a more accurate model for the atomic structure. It describes atomic orbitals as the regions around the nucleus where electrons of discrete energy exist, characterized by four quantum...
28.8K
01:26Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy
13.7K
Phase-Contrast Microscopes
In-phase-contrast microscopes, interference between light directly passing through a cell and light refracted by cellular components is used to create high-contrast, high-resolution images without staining. It is the oldest and simplest type of microscope that creates an image by altering the wavelengths of light rays passing through the specimen. Altered wavelength paths are created using an annular stop in the condenser. The annular stop produces a hollow cone of...
In-phase-contrast microscopes, interference between light directly passing through a cell and light refracted by cellular components is used to create high-contrast, high-resolution images without staining. It is the oldest and simplest type of microscope that creates an image by altering the wavelengths of light rays passing through the specimen. Altered wavelength paths are created using an annular stop in the condenser. The annular stop produces a hollow cone of...
13.7K
01:33Atomic Structure
210.3K
Overview
210.3K
01:08Atomic Force Microscopy
4.5K
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...
The AFM Probe
The probe is regarded as the heart of any AFM setup and comprises the...
4.5K
02:44Atomic Orbitals
44.2K
An atomic orbital represents the three-dimensional regions in an atom where an electron has the highest probability to reside. The radial distribution function indicates the total probability of finding an electron within the thin shell at a distance r from the nucleus. The atomic orbitals have distinct shapes which are determined by l, the angular momentum quantum number. The orbitals are often drawn with a boundary surface, enclosing densest regions of the cloud.
44.2K