Project description
High-resolution, non-invasive electron microscopy
Physical phenomena that take place at material interfaces have important implications for a wide range of fields, including energy technologies and membrane biology. The EU-funded ONEM project will work on a new microscopy technique called optical near-field electron microscopy that is non-invasive and offers high spatial and temporal resolutions. The new technique will enable label- and damage-free imaging at a spatial resolution of 3 nm and frame rates up to kHz, over extended time periods. It could thus aid in investigating a wide range of electrochemical phenomena (corrosion, mass transport) in battery technologies or mechanisms in membrane biology (pore formation, oligomerisation or protein diffusion), which are not possible to study with state-of-the-art imaging technologies.
Objective
The project will establish a new hybrid imaging technique, Optical Near-field Electron Microscopy (ONEM), that harnesses the best of two worlds: firstly, the non-invasiveness of probing a sample with light, and secondly, the high spatial and temporal resolution offered by electron optical read-out.
Interactions and dynamics at interfaces are crucial throughout science and technology, be it in material science, in battery research, or in membrane biology. Imaging these interactions with nanometre spatial resolution and millisecond time resolution, without labelling, without damaging the specimen, and without limitations in observation time is a huge challenge.
ONEM is based on the photoelectric effect: visible light illuminates a sample within a liquid cell, and the resulting near-field interference pattern is converted into an electron flux within a nearby photocathode. The spatial variations in electron flux are imaged using aberration corrected electron optics within a low energy electron microscope. We will build the first ONEM prototype, and use it for studies on electro-plating, and on protein oligomerization in in artificial lipid membranes.
These experiments will show that ONEM enables label- and damage-free imaging at 3 nm resolution and high frame rates (up to kHz), over extended periods. They will open the door to investigations of a wide range of electrochemical phenomena (corrosion, mass transport in batteries, liquid crystal switching), and to studies of membrane biology (pore formation, oligomerization, protein diffusion,...) that are out of reach for current imaging technology.
The project will be conducted in close collaboration with user facilities and industry partners, in order to facilitate rapid commercialization of this disruptive new technology.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.2. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Future and Emerging Technologies (FET)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.2.2. - FET Proactive
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
RIA - Research and Innovation action
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-FETPROACT-2018-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1010 Wien
Austria
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.