Year: 2025
Type: preprint
Abstract: Microscopy has been key to tremendous advances in science, technology, and medicine, revealing structure and dynamics across time and length scales. However, combining high spatial and temporal resolution in a non-invasive, label-free imaging technique remains a central challenge in microscopy. Here, we introduce Optical Near-field Electron Microscopy (ONEM), a method that converts optical near-field intensity patterns into photoelectron emission, enabling nanometer-scale imaging using low-energy electron microscopy. ONEM achieves 31 nm spatial and sub-second temporal resolution without exposing the sample to electrons, preserving structural and functional integrity. We demonstrate ONEM across three distinct domains: imaging polarization-dependent plasmon modes in metal nanostructures; visualizing live Escherichia coli in liquid with orientation-resolved contrast in 3D; and capturing real-time electrodeposition of copper nanoclusters from solution. These results establish ONEM as a versatile platform for damage-free super-resolution imaging of interface dynamics in both vacuum and liquid, with broad implications for biology, electrochemistry, and nanophotonics.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Zykov, Ilia, Stam, Guido, Jafarian, Hanieh, Moradi, Amin, Neu, Peter, Tromp, Rudolf, Amaro, Mariana, Juffmann, Thomas, van der Molen, Sense
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4416020116
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