Building the Microscopes of Tomorrow

The STROBE Science & Technology Center brings together imaging science experts from seven universities and partners with national labs, industry and academe to push the boundaries of imaging science capabilities and technologies, while building a strong workforce that is prepared for 21st century careers in science and technology.

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

Polarization Rotation Errors in Dichroic X-ray Tomography

M. A. Marcus, et al., Journal of Synchrotron Radiation, 33, 409-416, (2026).

Dichroic X-ray tomography resolves a sample's 3D crystal orientation (linear dichroism) or magnetization (circular dichroism) from projections taken at varying . . .

Multimodal Nanoscale Mapping of Local Structure and CO2 Adsorption in Metal–Organic Frameworks

S. L. Karstens, et al., Journal of the American Chemical Society, 148, 8474-8486, (2026).

Currently, host-guest interactions in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are mainly understood via theoretical simulations, bulk characterization techniques, and x-ray diffraction, all . . .

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STROBE IN THE NEWS

Atomic Musical Chairs: How Tiny Nanocrystals Are Informing the Future of Energy-Efficient Electronics

March 17, 2026|University of Colorado Boulder|

While most people, when asked about energy innovation, think about some of the "large" technologies, . . .

3D, atom-by-atom maps of disordered materials

January 28, 2026|CNSI News|

Researchers at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA published a step-by-step framework for determining the . . .

STROBE AWARDS

Congratulations to Markus Raschke for Receiving the Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award from Institute for Materials Science, Los Alamos National Laboratory

June 1, 2026|Los Alamos National Laboratory|

Markus Raschke received the 2026 IMS Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award from Los Alamos National . . .

Congratulations to Margaret Murnane for Being Named Optica Honorary Member

May 27, 2026|Optica|

WASHINGTON — Optica, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, has named Margaret M. Murnane an Optica Honorary Member, the most . . .

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More Awards

STROBE IN THE NEWS

Atomic Musical Chairs: How Tiny Nanocrystals Are Informing the Future of Energy-Efficient Electronics

March 17, 2026|University of Colorado Boulder|

While most people, when asked about energy innovation, think about some of the "large" technologies, . . .

3D, atom-by-atom maps of disordered materials

January 28, 2026|CNSI News|

Researchers at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA published a step-by-step framework for determining the . . .

More News

STROBE AWARDS

Congratulations to Markus Raschke for Receiving the Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award from Institute for Materials Science, Los Alamos National Laboratory

June 1, 2026|Los Alamos National Laboratory|

Markus Raschke received the 2026 IMS Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award from Los Alamos National . . .

Congratulations to Margaret Murnane for Being Named Optica Honorary Member

May 27, 2026|Optica|

WASHINGTON — Optica, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, has named Margaret M. Murnane an Optica Honorary Member, the most . . .

More Awards

Brightness optimization in a 200 keV DTEM source b

Spatiotemporal shaping of broadband helical light

Electronic origin of reorganization energy in inte

Designing lensless imaging systems to maximize inf

Observation of a hidden charge density wave liquid $Observation of a hidden charge density wave liquid J. H. Lee, T. M. Sutter, G. Karapetrov, P. Musumeci, A. Kogar, Nature Physics, 22, 68-74, (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-03108-z Charge density waves, electronic crystals that form within a host solid, have long been theorized to melt into a spatially textured electronic liquid. Although such liquid charge density waves have not been previously observed, they may be central to the phase diagrams of correlated electron systems, including high-temperature superconductors and quantum Hall states. In 1T-TaS2, a promising material for hosting a liquid charge density wave, a structural phase transition hinders observation. Here we use femtosecond light pulses to bypass this transition, revealing how topological defect dynamics govern hidden charge density wave correlations. Following photoexcitation, charge density wave diffraction peaks broaden azimuthally, indicating the emergence of a hexatic state. At elevated temperatures, photoexcitation fully destroys both translational and orientational orders, leaving only a ring of diffuse scattering—the hallmark of a liquid charge density wave. These findings offer compelling evidence for a defect-unbinding transition to a charge density wave liquid. More broadly, this approach demonstrates a route to uncover electronic phases obscured by intervening transitions in thermal equilibrium.$

Errors in reconstruction of dichroic X-ray orienta

Optimizing experimental design for fast and accura $Optimizing experimental design for fast and accurate CD metrology of interconnects using coherent extreme-ultraviolet scatterometry C. Klein, N. W. Jenkins, Y. Shao, Y. Li, J. Shin, S. Park, W. Kim, H. C. Kapteyn, M. M. Murnane, Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology, 25, 014001-1, (2026). DOI: 10.1117/1.jmm.25.1.014001 We study the effect of experimental design parameters (wavelength and incidence angle) on EUV scatterometry. We explore the fundamental sensitivity capabilities of EUV scatterometry for interconnect metrology when data are collected such that the information content in a single EUV diffraction pattern is maximized by tuning the wavelength and incidence angle. The uncertainty of the sample parameters depends strongly on wavelength and incidence angle, necessitating experimental design methods to achieve maximal sensitivity. When data are collected under an optimal experimental design, simulations indicate that sub-angstrom accuracy can be obtained from only a single diffraction pattern for the dishing depth of interconnect pads (0.02 nm standard deviation), and the substrate density can additionally be extracted (0.015g/cm3 standard deviation). Decorrelation of the sample parameters is observed with optimal design, and 13.8 nm EUV light provides better sensitivity than longer wavelengths such as 30 nm.$

High-Purity Monovalent Functionalization of Carbon $High-Purity Monovalent Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes S. Nishitani, Z. Liang, A. Tabo, W. Zhang, D. Smith, K. Xu, M. P. Landry, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, (2026). DOI: 10.1002/anie.7643898 Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) show promise for probing molecular interactions at single-molecule resolution, yet generating SWCNT populations bearing a single defined functional tag remains challenging because surface functionalization is inherently stochastic. Here, we present a batch-scale strategy to produce predominantly singly tagged SWCNTs by leveraging the stochastic adsorption of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). Specifically, SWCNTs are dispersed using a mixture of unmodified ssDNA (um-ssDNA) and a minor fraction of modified ssDNA (m-ssDNA) carrying an affinity handle. We developed a probabilistic ssDNA–SWCNT binding model that predicts the distribution of m-ssDNA per nanotube as a function of the input minor-strand fraction p = m-ssDNA/total ssDNA, enabling selection of conditions that maximize single-tag purity. Using magnetic-bead capture via a biotin affinity interaction and subsequent release, we isolate SWCNTs with 97.6% predicted single-tag purity at 2% recovery. Single-molecule fluorescence imaging further supports predominantly single-label occupancy under the model-selected conditions. Thus, this approach provides a general route to SWCNTs bearing a single molecular handle for downstream conjugation and assembly, supporting diverse future applications in SWCNT-based nanotechnologies.$

Ultrafast nano-imaging and nano-spectroscopy B. L.

Accurate determination of the 3D atomic structure

Cryo-EM structures reveal a conserved architecture

Multimodal Nanoscale Mapping of Local Structure an $Multimodal Nanoscale Mapping of Local Structure and CO2 Adsorption in Metal–Organic Frameworks S. L. Karstens, M. N. Dods, A. Saha, M. Garai, W. Dai, K. I. Graf, R. A. Klein, H. H. Jiang, J. Cho, K. C. Bustillo, M. B. Raschke, P. Ercius, J. R. Long, A. M. Minor, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 148, 8474-8486, (2026). DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5c19737 Diamine functionalization of the metal–organic framework Mg2(dobpdc) (dobpdc4– = 4,4′-dioxidobiphenyl-3,3′-dicarboxylate) significantly enhances its selectivity for CO2 capture from flue gases and air. The structure and CO2 capacity of such materials are typically assessed using bulk techniques that rely on averaging signal over large ensembles of unit cells, obscuring local heterogeneities, such as variations in CO2 occupancy across individual nanocrystals. To resolve this limitation, we demonstrate a multimodal, nanoscale characterization of Mg2(dobpdc) appended with 1,3-diaminopropane. By employing recently developed characterization techniques at progressively smaller length scales, we uncover insights from correspondingly smaller populations of unit cells. First, we use parallel-beam 3D electron diffraction (3D ED) to identify a prominent expansion in lattice parameters upon desorption of CO2, as observed at the level of single nanocrystals. Second, we use convergent-probe 4D scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D-STEM) to quantify associated differences in lattice strain as a function of gas loading and diamine appending. These measurements sample small subvolumes within individual nanocrystals. Finally, we apply infrared scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy (IR s-SNOM) to confirm variable CO2 chemisorption across adsorption sites at the surface of single nanocrystals. This multimodal, multiscale approach allows us to map heterogeneity within individual nanocrystals. Collectively, these findings emphasize the importance of local, nanoscale characterization of metal–organic frameworks in revealing previously unresolvable features that impact their performance.$

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