Atom-by-Atom Characterization of 2D Materials With Electron Ptychography
Speaker
Pinshane Y. Huang
Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
About This Talk
Electron microscopy and atomic-scale materials characterization are undergoing a revolution fueled by the new capabilities of electron ptychography, which is setting records for spatial resolution—down to 20 picometers. In this talk, Pinshane Y. Huang will discuss how her group is developing atomically precise methods to characterize materials using electron ptychography and the new science these capabilities enable. Their work spans applications from visualizing thermal vibrations atom-by-atom to recovering 3D atomic coordinates of 2D moiré materials from a single projection.
Huang and her colleagues are making advanced electron microscopy techniques more accessible by using ptychography to achieve 0.44-angstrom spatial resolution in a conventional scanning transmission electron microscope, nearly quadrupling its intrinsic optical resolution. This work demonstrates that expensive aberration correctors are no longer required to achieve atom-by-atom imaging—a significant step toward democratizing access to high-end electron microscopy.
About the Speaker
Pinshane Y. Huang is a professor and Racheff Faculty Scholar in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and associate director of the Materials Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She holds a PhD in applied and engineering physics from Cornell University and a BA in physics from Carleton College. Her research focuses on transmission electron microscopy and ptychography of two-dimensional and nanoelectronic materials. She has been recognized for both her research (PECASE, Packard Fellowship, Sloan Fellowship, Air Force Young Investigator Award, NSF CAREER Award, 3M Young Faculty Award, Albert Crewe Award from the Microscopy Society of America) and teaching (Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Rose Award for Teaching Excellence, Illinois Student Government Teaching Excellence Award).
About the MSE Seminar Series
The Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Seminar Series features distinguished speakers from leading institutions, offering a platform for sharing groundbreaking research, innovative ideas, and entrepreneurial experiences. Held multiple times each semester, these seminars bring global perspectives world to MIT’s materials research community, exposing students, faculty, and postdocs to cutting-edge concepts and valuable networking opportunities.