Development of a programmable phase plate for electron microscopy.

This project aims at developing a prototype of a programmable electrostatic phase plate that allows the user to freely change the phase of electron waves. The target of this POC project is the realization of a tunable easy-to-use 5x5-pixel prototype that will demonstrate the potential of adaptive optics in electron microscopy. Its realization will be based on lithographic technology to allow for future upscaling. It is expected that such a phase plate can dramatically increase the information obtained at a given electron dose, limiting the detrimental effects of beam damage that currently hinders the use of electron microscopy in e.g. life sciences. As such, it has the potential to disrupt the electron microscopy market with novel applications while at the same time reducing cost and complexity and increasing the potential for fully automated instruments.

Keywords:PHASE PLATE, ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

Disciplines:Applied mathematics in specific fields, Classical physics, Optical physics