Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Titan supermicroscope has once again pushed back the barrier of how small scientists can see, capturing images of atoms and nanoparticles with such detail that the structure of individual atoms and molecules can be made out.

The microscope, housed at ORNL’s Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, uses a technique called scanning transmission electron microscopy that involves beaming a high-energy electron beam at a material, then using magnetic lenses to focus the transmitted electrons on a detector.

The latest advances in Titan’s capabilities include a new detector called a direct electron detector that allows the instrument to collect more electrons than ever before, reducing the fuzziness that can plague traditional electron microscopy images.

“The microscope essentially functions as a gigantic magnifying glass, providing a real-space look at the arrangements of atoms and molecules in complex nanoscale materials,” said ORNL’s Ondrej Dyck.

With the new detector, scientists can now view images with near-atomic resolution, identifying the location and arrangement of atoms within a material and making it possible to see nanoscale defects, such as missing atoms, or “point defects.”

The improved capabilities of Titan will be a boon for scientists working on a variety of nanoscale materials research projects, such as the development of new catalysts for chemical processes, the engineering of new materials for use in electronics, and the study of biological systems at the molecular level.

“The Titan microscope is a valuable tool for researchers across a wide range of scientific disciplines, and these latest advances in its capabilities will only serve to further its impact on scientific discovery,” said CNMS Director David Abergel.