Frontiers of imaging and spectroscopy in transmission electron microscopy

By highlighting the recent advances in scanning/transmission electron microscopy as a multidimensional tool on the atomic scale this symposium aims at fostering collaborative research between the electron microscopy and materials science communities. Current topics will be highlighted in keynote presentations given by leading invited experts.

Scope:

Characterization lies at the heart of materials science research. The discovery of new properties, the design and engineering of materials, the quantification of defects, and the understanding of material physics and chemistry each require robust methods to measure structure and properties over length scales from the macroscopic to the atomic. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is one of the most powerful characterization tools employed by material scientists, in large part due to its unmatched spatial resolution and flexibility. With the implementation of aberration corrector, the spatial resolution of electron microscope has been drastically improved. These developments were followed by faster, more sensitive direct electron (CMOS or hybrid) detectors, In-Situ and operando capability, monochromated electron sources for electron spectroscopy. As the result of these transformational discoveries, we are now able to study materials with unprecedented resolution, sensitivity and precision.

Indeed, recent advances in TEM have significantly enhanced spatial and energy resolutions, pushing them to levels better than 50 pm and 5 meV, respectively. The advent of aberration- corrected TEM has played a crucial role in achieving these remarkable resolutions. This technology has not only improved imaging quality but has also paved the way for a plethora of in- situ experiments, novel imaging techniques, and multi-dimensional data acquisitions at atomic scales. Moreover, the integration of faster or more sensitive detectors with cutting-edge data analytics and machine learning techniques has further revolutionized the field. These advances are particularly significant for studying beam-sensitive materials and liquids, allowing researchers to probe them with unprecedented precision and detail. By combining high-resolution imaging with advanced data analysis methods, scientists can extract valuable insights into the structural and dynamic properties of solid materials and liquids, even under challenging experimental conditions. Overall, these developments represent a paradigm shift in the capabilities of TEM, enabling researchers to explore new frontiers in nanoscience and materials research with unparalleled resolution and sensitivity.

In this symposium, we will discuss a broad array of cutting-edge topics of transmission electron microscopy, cryogenic techniques, in-situ/operando TEM, and multi-dimensional spectroscopy/ imaging. We also welcome contributions in computer-aided data acquisition, image analysis and big data processing, including based on artificial intelligence algorithms (machine and deep learning, neural networks, etc). The goal of this symposium is to bring together scientists from the microscopy community and materials science community to foster new collaborative research and accelerate the developments of novel functional materials and devices.

Hot topics to be covered by the symposium:

• Transmission Electron Microscopy
• New Detectors and TEM Instrumentation
• 4D-STEM
• Cryo-TEM
• Analytical (S)TEM
• In-Situ and operando TEM
• Vibrational Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy
• Imaging and spectroscopy: from soft matter to functional materials
• Sample preparation techniques
• Machine Learning and Data Analytics
• Theory and Modeling of Materials
• Ultrafast Electron Microscopy
• Quantitative TEM Analysis of Materials