Scanning techniques are instrumental methodologies that acquire spatially resolved information from a specimen or environment by systematically interrogating it point-by-point or line-by-line, often using a focused probe such as photons, electrons, ions, or mechanical tips. These techniques include modalities like scanning electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopies, and various spectroscopic scanning methods, which map physical, chemical, or electronic properties across a surface or volume. Key parameters include spatial and temporal resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, and contrast mechanisms determined by probe–sample interactions. Scanning techniques are fundamental for nanoscale characterization, metrology, and defect analysis in materials science, biology, and semiconductor research.
A research team from HKU Engineering has pioneered a fundamentally new imaging strategy known as AIMED (Arbitrary illumination microscopy with encoded depth), which utilizes a sub-sampling approach. By integrating innovations ...
Optics & Photonics
May 30, 2026
0
18
A research group led by Assistant Professor Takafumi Tomita and Professor Kenji Ohmori at the Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, has developed a new microscopy technique called the Atom ...
Optics & Photonics
May 29, 2026
0
45
Every human cell is surrounded by a sugar coating known as the glycocalyx. It not only interacts with its environment but also reveals a great deal about cells' internal states. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for ...
Bio & Medicine
May 15, 2026
0
12
Researchers at the University of Alicante (UA) have developed a highly precise method for measuring distances at the nanometer scale at room temperature, opening up new avenues in molecular electronics research. The team, ...
Nanophysics
May 6, 2026
0
8
A research team led by Prof. Hao Ning of the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with Anhui University and the University of Science and Technology of China, has identified ...
Superconductivity
Apr 29, 2026
0
21
Scorpions wield some of the natural world's most formidable built-in weapons, from crushing pincers to venomous stingers. Scientists have long known that these structures contain trace metals that strengthen them, but only ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 28, 2026
0
96
Eggs and poultry provide important sources of protein globally, driving a major industry with large economic impacts. Challenges to hatchery operations include embryo mortality, fertility, sex determination, and eggshell ...
Biotechnology
Apr 28, 2026
0
14
A joint research team led by Professor Park Kyoung-Duck and Associate Director Suh Yung Doug of the Center for Multidimensional Carbon Materials within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) has succeeded in realizing a high-efficiency ...
Optics & Photonics
Apr 18, 2026
0
37
Tungsten's superior performance in extreme environments makes it a leading candidate for plasma-facing components (PFCs) in fusion reactors, but the ultra-high heat can damage its microscopic structure and lead to component ...
Plasma Physics
Apr 15, 2026
0
7
For smartphones and computers to become smaller and faster, technologies capable of precisely controlling electrical properties at the nanoscale—beyond what is visible to the naked eye—are essential. In particular, ferroelectric ...
Nanomaterials
Apr 8, 2026
0
9
