Imaging techniques articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    Detection of electric fields, central to chemical and biological processes, has been limited to measurements of current (e.g., electrodes) and secondary reporters (e.g., fluorescent dyes). Here, the authors demonstrate an optical platform capable of imaging electric field dynamics with high spatio-temporal resolution.

    • Jason Horng
    • , Halleh B. Balch
    •  & Feng Wang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    It has been a challenge to characterize microscopic origins of friction at high velocities. Here authors extend atomic force microscopy to develop a dynamic technique combining force sensitivity and spatial resolution and able to probe, at each image pixel, frictional forces at velocities up to several cm per second.

    • Per-Anders Thorén
    • , Astrid S. de Wijn
    •  & David B. Haviland

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Resolution of classical piezoresponse force microscopy is limited in data acquisition rates and energy scales. Here, Somnath et al. report an approach for rapid probing of ferroelectric switching using direct strain detection of material response to probe bias, enabling spectroscopic imaging at a rate of 3,504 times faster the current state of the art.

    • Suhas Somnath
    • , Alex Belianinov
    •  & Stephen Jesse

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Robust coherent diffractive imaging generally requires many exposures that may damage samples. Here, the authors develop a single-shot X-ray imaging method applicable to general samples for materials and biological sciences, also enabling imaging of dynamic processes, using a pulsed X-ray laser.

    • Fucai Zhang
    • , Bo Chen
    •  & Ian K. Robinson

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Magnetic resonance imaging is a promising non-invasive approach to visualize paramagnetic materials in devices, but the short lifetime of signals currently limits its use. Here, the authors develop an approach which overcomes this hurdle to spectroscopically image lithiation fronts during battery operation.

    • Mingxue Tang
    • , Vincent Sarou-Kanian
    •  & Elodie Salager

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Probing individual impurities will become increasingly important as devices shrink towards the nanoscale. Here Rashidi et al., introduce a method based on time-resolved scanning tunnelling spectroscopy of surface dangling bonds to investigate the dynamics of individual dopants in silicon.

    • Mohammad Rashidi
    • , Jacob A. J. Burgess
    •  & Robert A. Wolkow

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The efficiency of a catalyst relies on the stability of intermediates on its surface. Here, the authors find that van der Waals interactions between acetate adsorbates on Au(110) provide a small but necessary energy contribution to stabilize the acetate and drive restructuring of the Au surface.

    • Fanny Hiebel
    • , Bonggeun Shong
    •  & Cynthia M. Friend

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Single spin defects can allow high-resolution sensing of molecules under an applied magnetic field. Here, the authors propose a protocol for three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging with angstrom-level resolution exploiting the dipolar field of a spin qubit, such as a diamond nitrogen-vacancy.

    • V. S. Perunicic
    • , C. D. Hill
    •  & L.C.L. Hollenberg

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Visualizing surface plasmon polaritons at buried interfaces has remained elusive. Here, the authors develop a methodology to study the spatiotemporal evolution of buried near-fields within complex heterostructures, enabling the characterization of the next generation of plasmonic devices.

    • Tom T. A. Lummen
    • , Raymond J. Lamb
    •  & F. Carbone

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Tomographic imaging of graphite-based anodes is challenging due to weak X-ray attenuation contrast. Here, the authors use operando propagation-based phase contrast tomography and digital volume correlation to study the electrochemical activity and microstructural dynamics in (silicon−) graphite electrodes.

    • Patrick Pietsch
    • , Daniel Westhoff
    •  & Vanessa Wood

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Zero-knowledge proofs can be used to prove that a statement is true without revealing why it is. Here the authors demonstrate a non-electronic fast neutron radiography technique to confirm that two objects are identical without revealing any details about their design or composition.

    • Sébastien Philippe
    • , Robert J. Goldston
    •  & Francesco d’Errico

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Imaging buried interfaces is necessary to assess the quality of electronic devices and their degradation mechanisms. Here, Hirohata et al. use energy-filtered scanning electron microscopy to image buried defects in an inorganic lateral spin-valve device, at the nanometre scale and non-destructively.

    • Atsufumi Hirohata
    • , Yasuaki Yamamoto
    •  & Andrew J. Vick

  • Article
    | Open Access

    It has been predicted that electron beam probes may allow for the imaging of magnetism with atomic-scale resolution. Here, the authors demonstrate a scanning transmission electron microscopy method capable of resolving magnetic contrast from individual atomic planes.

    • Ján Rusz
    • , Shunsuke Muto
    •  & Claus M. Schneider

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The performance of catalytic materials is determined by small-scale chemical and structural variations over large volumes. Here the authors report a correlative spectroscopy approach capable of visualizing processes over multiple length scales, and model the effects of poisoning on mass transport.

    • Yijin Liu
    • , Florian Meirer
    •  & Bert M. Weckhuysen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The use of ptychography with electrons has been limited. Here, Yang et al. demonstrate that the combination of Z-contrast and phase imaging reveals the structure of complex nanomaterials. This practical tool can be used to solve the structure of a beam-sensitive carbon nanostructure at atomic-resolution.

    • H. Yang
    • , R. N. Rutte
    •  & P. D. Nellist

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) requires a uniform B1+ radiofrequency field. Here the authors present plug-n-play MRF, a technique that enables multiparametric imaging with heterogeneous B1+fields, and demonstrate its utility in the presence of RF distortion caused by a metallic orthopaedic implant.

    • Martijn A. Cloos
    • , Florian Knoll
    •  & Daniel K. Sodickson

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Semiconductor nanowires with precisely controlled structure can be grown by self-assembly using the vapor-liquid-solid process. Here, the authors report a more local growth control strategy using an electric field applied during growth to control nanowire diameter and growth direction.

    • Federico Panciera
    • , Michael M. Norton
    •  & Frances M. Ross

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Domain wall between gapped graphene bilayers is believed to host one-dimensional topological states, which is yet waiting for direct evidences. Here, Yin et al.report images of the AB-BA stacked bilayer graphene domain wall, providing direct evidence for topological edge states in such system.

    • Long-Jing Yin
    • , Hua Jiang
    •  & Lin He

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Coherent Raman imaging is a high fidelity technique to obtain chemical-sensitive images, however sub-diffraction molecular organization information is still missing. Here, the authors exploit molecular bond symmetries to access the microscopic organization of molecules in a single image acquisition.

    • Carsten Cleff
    • , Alicja Gasecka
    •  & Julien Duboisset

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Phonons—crystal lattice vibrations—interact with crystal defects on the nanometre spatial scale and femtosecond timescale. Here, the authors demonstrate direct, real-space imaging of the nucleation, emergence and dispersion of single-phonon wavefronts at individual atomic-scale defects in semiconductors.

    • Daniel R. Cremons
    • , Dayne A. Plemmons
    •  & David J. Flannigan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In compounds containing 4f and 5f elements, hidden-order phases exist which are undetectable by many methods, the origins of which are debated. Here, the authors use photoemission and neutron scattering methods to show how such a multipolar-ordered phase emerges due to Fermi surface instability in CeB6.

    • A. Koitzsch
    • , N. Heming
    •  & D. S. Inosov

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Signal-to-noise ratio is one of the key factors that currently limit the diagnostic image quality and patient conditions of magnetic resonance imaging. Here, Corea et al. use fully printed flexible receive coils, conforming to patient bodies, to improve signals and patient comfort in clinical scanners.

    • Joseph R. Corea
    • , Anita M. Flynn
    •  & Ana C. Arias

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Functionalizing antimicrobial peptides with fluorescent groups is a useful strategy for imaging infection, but the tag can alter the performance of the probe. Here, the authors report a spacer-free method to directly functionalise an amino acid with a fluorogenic group and prepare peptide-based imaging agents for fungal infection.

    • Lorena Mendive-Tapia
    • , Can Zhao
    •  & Marc Vendrell

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Combining high-resolution microscopic techniques with luminescent probes is important for biological imaging. Here, Mi et al. demonstrate subwavelength imaging by combining lanthanide-doped upconversion nanocrystals with ionoluminescence, revealing cellular structure and particle spatial distribution at high resolution.

    • Zhaohong Mi
    • , Yuhai Zhang
    •  & Andrew A. Bettiol

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Monitoring the activity of nuclear reactors requires measuring the neutron distribution in the core efficiently and in real time. Here, the authors present an imaging approach for neutrons and gamma-rays that thanks to a slit-pupil-like design, enables radiations to be visualized directly in operative reactors.

    • Jonathan S. Beaumont
    • , Matthew P. Mellor
    •  & Malcolm J. Joyce

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In measurements that employ phase retrieval algorithms, such as coherent diffraction imaging, reconstruction of one-dimensional signals is challenging due to ambiguity issues. Here, the authors demonstrate super-resolution coherent imaging of one-dimensional objects by utilizing sparsity prior information.

    • Pavel Sidorenko
    • , Ofer Kfir
    •  & Oren Cohen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Full tomography of the quantum state of a many-body system becomes harder as more and more atoms are included. Here the authors borrow a concept from condensed-matter physics, continuous matrix-product states, and present an efficient approach for experimental quantum-field tomography.

    • A. Steffens
    • , M. Friesdorf
    •  & J. Eisert

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Studying a catalyst during reaction (operando conditions) can give significant insights into the changes a catalyst undergoes. Here, the authors use an operandoapproach to correlate X-ray spectroscopy and electron based imaging techniques to measure the dynamic changes in Pt nanoparticles during the catalytic hydrogenation of ethylene.

    • Y. Li
    • , D. Zakharov
    •  & A.I. Frenkel

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental energy release process taking place in various astrophysical environments, but it is difficult to observe it directly. Here, the authors provide evidence of three-dimensional magnetic reconnection in a solar eruption using combined perspectives of two spacecraft.

    • J. Q. Sun
    • , X. Cheng
    •  & C. Fang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Hyperbolic phonon polariton modes in natural hyperbolic materials could have uses in near-field optical imaging, guiding, and focusing applications. Here Li et al.demonstrate enlarged imaging and super-resolution focusing from a flat slab of hexagonal boron nitride enabled by hyperbolic phonon polariton modes.

    • Peining Li
    • , Martin Lewin
    •  & Thomas Taubner

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Fluorescence from nanoparticles enables high-resolution optical imaging, but this approach is limited to those structures that emit light. Here, the authors demonstrate a microscope that uses a cavity to enhance the measurement of the alternative optical properties of absorption and dispersion.

    • Matthias Mader
    • , Jakob Reichel
    •  & David Hunger

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Visualization of the gas distribution around working catalyst is crucial for understanding structure–activity relationships. Here, the authors show that gas distribution can be imaged in situwith high spatial and temporal resolution using infrared planar laser-induced fluorescence.

    • Johan Zetterberg
    • , Sara Blomberg
    •  & Edvin Lundgren

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Hard X-ray spectro-imaging using synchrotron radiation can be used to monitor electrochemical reactions. Here, the authors present X-ray absorption data and resolve phase evolution for the conversion of iron fluoride, a high-capacity Li-ion battery conversion cathode, with nanoscale resolution.

    • Linsen Li
    • , Yu-chen Karen Chen-Wiegart
    •  & Song Jin

  • Article |

    Multiferroic BiFeO3 is promising for applications where electric and magnetic fields need to be coupled, for example, in magnetic data storage. Here, combining theory and experiment the authors provide a microscopic insight into the switching of magnetization by electric fields in BiFeO3.

    • Ziyao Zhou
    • , Morgan Trassin
    •  & Nian X. Sun

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Ultrafast imaging schemes can enable a diverse range of applications but require long acquisition times or raster scanning. Here, Gariepy et al. demonstrate visualization and rapid characterization of light-in-flight and laser-induced plasma formation using single-photon detector arrays.

    • Genevieve Gariepy
    • , Nikola Krstajić
    •  & Daniele Faccio

  • Article |

    The explosion of Vesuvius in 79 AD carbonized a library of papyrus scrolls, namely Herculaneum papyri, the contents of which are thus still largely unknown. Here, Mocella et al.show the capability of X-ray phase-contrast tomography to read letters in these scrolls without the need to unroll them first.

    • Vito Mocella
    • , Emmanuel Brun
    •  & Daniel Delattre

  • Article
    | Open Access

    X-ray scattering experiments give details of the electrons in a system, although typically this is dominated by core and inert valence electrons. Here, the authors report a method to follow changes in the chemically active valence electrons, and use it to study the reaction mechanism of a pericyclic reaction.

    • Timm Bredtmann
    • , Misha Ivanov
    •  & Gopal Dixit

  • Article |

    Chemical derivatives of graphene are typically disordered or corrugated, impairing attempts to utilize them in monolayer devices. Here, the authors show that chair-C2F graphene is a stable material displaying long-range order, with functionalization on only one face in a given domain.

    • Reza J. Kashtiban
    • , M Adam Dyson
    •  & Jeremy Sloan

  • Article |

    Electric double-layer capacitors are promising energy storage devices with high-power density. Here, the authors report in situmagnetic resonance imaging experiments on a working electric double-layer capacitor, revealing insights into the charge storage mechanism and cell-aging effects.

    • Andrew J. Ilott
    • , Nicole M. Trease
    •  & Alexej Jerschow

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