We have analyzed atom probe tomography reconstructions of disaggregated meteoritic material containing nanodiamonds and disordered carbon to determine whether these phases formed in the solar system or whether they predate the solar system and were formed in supernovae or the interstellar medium. We developed a method to distinguish between these two carbonaceous phases in < 100 nm diameter aggregates using the ratios of various native and contaminant molecular species. We find variations in measured 12C/13C ratios between the two phases that suggest hydrides form more readily during field evaporation of the disordered C than the nanodiamonds.

The internal electric field of a 2D P-N junction of a semiconductor is mapped out by two techniques: measuring the deflection of the transmitted beam in micro-STEM mode with acquisition and data fitting of an un-scattered beam image, and through the derivative of electrostatic potential maps by dual lens electron holography. Comparable results of the P-N junction internal electric field measured with these two techniques are reported.

Deep neural networks have attracted considerable attention because of their state-of-the-art performance on a variety of image restoration tasks, including image completion, denoising, and segmentation. However, their record of performance is built upon extremely large datasets. In many cases (for example, electron microscopy), it is extremely labor intensive, if not impossible, to acquire tens of thousands of images for a single project. The present work shows the possibility of attaining high-accuracy image segmentation, isolating regions of interest, for small datasets of transmission electron micrographs by employing encoder-decoder neural networks and image augmentation.

The spatial organization of chromatin has become recognized as a major factor in the regulation of gene expression. While chromosome conformation capture techniques, such as high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C), have advanced our understanding of the role of 3D organization of chromatin on chromosomal function, Hi-C data are typically ensemble in nature and relies on intense computational methods to derive genomic structural information. The field is beginning to shift in recognizing the potential value of imaging methods to study spatial organization of chromatin. Imaging allows acquisition and analysis at the individual cell level while providing direct visualization and analysis of 3D chromatin organization. This feature will highlight how single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) using the Bruker Vutara SMLM system in conjunction with sequential labeling via microfluidics is revolutionizing our understanding of nuclear spatial organization and its role in regulation of gene function.

X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a fingerprint technique for the analysis of atomic and molecular structures of crystalline materials, from polymers and plastics, through to structural composites and biomaterials. These all have crystallographic phases in the nanostructure, which greatly influence the macro properties of the material—from insulin and hemoglobin to semiconductors and solar cells. Here, we look at how XRD analysis using a small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) system under full vacuum brings the possibility of crystallographic sample characterization, with temperature and environmental control, direct to the laboratory, and how this improves the workflow for phase identification.

The OSU-FEI Electron Microscopy Collaboratory multiplies the number of individuals who can experience hands-on advanced microscopy techniques. The microscopy classroom allows up to 33 attendees to operate, individually and in real time, electron microscopes as if they were sitting in front of the actual instruments. The communications link, a fast backbone augmented by Internet2, allows various microscopes to be operated from the classroom or by collaborators in another city. This system transforms the training of new users from a one-person-at-a-time session with an expert operator to a group collaborative activity that can include users from around the world.