Direct imaging of local electric field at atomic dimensions－New microscopy for quantum world ： Associate Professor Naoya Shibata & Professor Yuichi Ikuhara, Institute of Engineering Innovation
June 25, 2012
Electron microscopy can image individual atoms in materials and devices, but it has been very difficult to directly "see" the local electromagnetic fields at such dimensions. Now, using newly developed detector, Shibata et al. showed that we can direct image electric field of atoms. Moreover, applying this method to ferroelectric materials, individual electric dipoles in the unit cells can be sensitively detected. This breakthrough will open the new dimension of microscopy, and also will assist the developments of new materials and devices in many fields.
