Project description
Seeing nanoparticles in 3D
Understanding the properties of nanomaterials requires precise knowledge of their size and 3D structure. Current electron microscopy techniques fall short, lacking sufficient resolution or being slow and labour-intensive. A faster, high-resolution method for 3D nanoparticle characterisation is needed. With this in mind, the ERC-funded SEEBIC project addresses this gap with secondary-electron electron-beam-induced current, a technique that detects currents from secondary electrons in a specialised transmission electron microscopy (TEM) holder to map nanoparticle morphology pixel by pixel. A second-generation, user-friendly SEEBIC holder will be developed, with input from beta users and vendors, enabling fast, scalable and high-performance 3D characterisation. This approach enhances standard TEM set-ups without sacrificing their other capabilities, offering practical benefits for both academic and industrial nanomaterials research.
Objective
The properties of nanomaterials are essentially determined by their size and three-dimensional (3D) structure, typically assessed by Electron Microscopy (EM) techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy or Electron Tomography. Unfortunately, the spatial resolution of SEM is limited and ET suffers from low temporal resolution. Here, we present an alternative approach “Secondary-Electron Electron-Beam-Induced Current (SEEBIC)”, a technique during which a dedicated Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) sample holder is used to detect a current that originates from the emission of secondary electrons from the sample. By mapping this signal pixel-by-pixel, an image is produced from which the morphology of nanoparticles (NPs) can be directly measured.
While SEEBIC addresses the need for user-friendly and high-throughput morphological characterisation of NPs at high resolution, several challenges need to be tackled to increase the Technology and Commercial Readiness Levels of our invention. We will therefore design and fabricate a second-generation, fully custom SEEBIC holder, with further product development based on close interaction with beta-users and EM vendors.
From a business perspective, SEEBIC represents a smart and scalable innovation: it extends the functionality of standard TEM setups during their operational lifetime, without sacrificing other essential capabilities and might offer new opportunities for in situ studies. This flexibility is particularly attractive for academic labs and industrial R&D facilities needing fast and easy 3D characterisation of nanomaterials while maintaining advanced analytical performance.
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.
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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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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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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.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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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) ERC-2025-POC
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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.
2000 Antwerpen
Belgium
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.