4D ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

Imaging in Space and Time

by Ahmed H Zewail (California Institute of Technology, USA) & John M Thomas (University of Cambridge, UK)

The modern electron microscope, as a result of recent revolutionary developments and many evolutionary ones, now yields a wealth of quantitative knowledge pertaining to structure, dynamics, and function barely matched by any other single scientific instrument. It is also poised to contribute much new spatially-resolved and time-resolved insights of central importance in the exploration of most aspects of condensed matter, ranging from the physical to the biological sciences.

Whereas in all conventional EM methods, imaging, diffraction, and chemical analyses have been conducted in a static — time-integrated — manner, now it has become possible to unite the time domain with the spatial one, thereby creating four-dimensional (4D) electron microscopy. This advance is based on the fundamental concept of timed, coherent single-electron packets, or electron pulses, which are liberated with femtosecond durations. Structural phase transitions, mechanical deformations, and the embryonic stages of melting and crystallization are examples of phenomena that can now be imaged in unprecedented structural detail with high spatial resolution, and ten orders of magnitude as fast as hitherto.

No monograph in existence attempts to cover the revolutionary dimensions that EM in its various modes of operation nowadays makes possible. The authors of this book chart these developments, and also compare the merits of coherent electron waves with those of synchrotron radiation. They judge it prudent to recall some important basic procedural and theoretical aspects of imaging and diffraction so that the reader may better comprehend the significance of the new vistas and applications now afoot.

This book is not a vade mecum — numerous other texts are available for the practitioner for that purpose. It is instead an in-depth exposé of the paradigm concepts and the developed techniques that can now be executed to gain new knowledge in the entire domain of biological and physical science, and in the four dimensions of space and time.

Table of Contents

Readership: Academics and researchers in the fields of physical chemistry, chemical analysis, solid state physics, electron microscopy, scanning, tunnelling, nanoelectronics, molecular biology, molecular imaging and structural biology.

“This is a unique and ground-breaking book. For the first time it includes the important time dimension in electron microscopy, revealing time-resolved electron micrographs and diffraction patterns on an almost unbelievably fast time scale. The book is written with great clarity and is lavishly illustrated with some stunning micrographs.”

Professor Colin Humphreys
Cambridge University, UK

“This book, by leaders in femtosecond spectroscopy and solid-state chemistry, gives an exciting overview of the new field of time-resolved transmission electron microscopy … Despite the enormous challenges in this new field, this stimulating book from these authorities should be read by all graduate students about to choose a field of research. A book to make the experts think.”

Professor John Spence
Arizona State University, USA

“This is one of the most enlightening science textbooks I have ever read. The basic concepts behind 3D and 4D electron microscopy are presented in a concise and clear language, accompanied by figures of remarkable didactic content. This excellent textbook blends the qualities of an introductory with an in-depth account, and is bound to become a reference in the field.”

Professor Majed Chergui
EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland

“This is a fascinating book, very timely published when electron microscopy (EM) is at a turning point with dramatically improved capacities … The description of scattering of electrons and the function of the electron microscope is sufficiently complete to make this book well suited as a university textbook.”

Crystallography Reviews

“Combining the authors' expertise in femtochemistry, catalysis, and electron microscopy has resulted in a book that conveys the excitement and potential for this new paradigm in electron imaging … there is no doubt that the development of the 4D microscope has introduced a new paradigm for characterization by TEM. Taken together with introductory texts covering TEM, it provides the understanding necessary for the reader to appreciate the principles of this brand new field.”

Journal of the American Chemistry Society

“Researchers using electron microscopy will find this book fascinating and very helpful for learning about the latest advances in electron microscopy imaging technology.”

IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine

360pp
Pub. date: Dec 2009

eISBN: 9781848163911

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