Research Highlights
Published online: 25 June 2008 | doi:10.1038/nchina.2008.147
Nanotomography: Crystal clear
Tim Reid
Abstract
X-rays from a synchrotron can produce incredible high-resolution three-dimensional images of nanoscale crystal structures
Original article citation
et al. Three-dimensional imaging of a complex concaved cuboctahedron copper sulfide crystal by x-ray nanotomography. Appl. Phys. Lett. 92 , 233104 (2008).Introduction
© (2008) AIP
Researchers have combined medical imaging equipment with radiation from a particle accelerator to produce a powerful new method for three-dimensional (3D) imaging. The technique, developed by Shuhong Yu, Yangchao Tian and co-workers at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei1, has already produced remarkable 3D renderings of a copper sulphide crystal, and could find many applications in materials development and the life sciences.
Electron microscopes can provide detailed two-dimensional information on functional nanostructures, but are limited in applications involving complex 3D shapes. On the other hand, X-rays can penetrate to great depths and are used in medical computed-tomography scans to take images in slices that are then compiled to render a 3D image.
Yu, Tian and co-workers used the beamline from the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory in Hefei to provide a very powerful X-ray flux. The beam was carefully manipulated to make 3D images of a recently discovered type of copper sulphide crystal.
The images show that the crystal is made up of four hexagonal plates about 200 nanometres thick (pictured). Together they form a cuboctahedron — a polyhedron with six square and eight triangular faces (pictured).
The image details indicate that the X-ray technique is useful to image nanomaterials with complex structures.
The authors of this work are from:
National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China; Division of Nanomaterials and Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
Reference
- Chen, J. et al. Three-dimensional imaging of a complex concaved cuboctahedron copper sulfide crystal by x-ray nanotomography. Appl. Phys. Lett. 92 , 233104 (2008). | Article |
