Electron microscope pinpoints position of single atoms

The £3.7 million Nion Hermes Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope - one of only three in the world - will be located at the EPSRC’s SuperSTEM facility at Daresbury.

SuperSTEM is the EPSRC National Facility for Aberration Corrected Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) and is supported by a network of collaborating universities including: Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Oxford.

“The UK is a world leader in the development and application of STEM techniques

Greg Clark MP

Alongside a number of high-power microscopes at the SuperSTEM facility, the new Nion Hermes microscope will help scientists push the boundaries of research in fields such as advanced materials, healthcare and power generation, an EPSRC statement said.

EPSRC chief executive Philip Nelson said: “The EPSRC SuperSTEM facility at Daresbury has already delivered us new knowledge and applications and this new equipment will continue that pedigree.”

The Nion Hermes microscope can also be used for materials analysis, allowing researchers to observe the strength of the bonds between single atoms.

This will improve understanding of their electronic properties when in bulk and how they may perform when used, the EPSRC said.

Minister for Universities, Science and Cities Greg Clark said: “The UK is a world leader in the development and application of STEM techniques, and this new super-powerful microscope will ensure we remain world-class.”