The Nano-Scale Imaging Lab uses two techniques – low energy electron microscopy (LEEM) and scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) - to understand the properties of quantum materials and exploit their functional behavior. LEEM provides information about crystal structure and electronic properties as well as video-rate streaming of movies showcasing surface dynamics.
SNOM marries two techniques – optical and atomic-force microscopy – to go beyond the limitations of diffraction microscopy. The techniques are uniquely brought together in a cryostat, enabling experiments at different temperatures and at different wavelengths, providing a level of detailed measurement with a resolution which is thousands of times higher than traditional microscopy. Researchers Adrian Gozar and Ivan Bozovic run the lab, complementing existing materials science expertise at Yale’s Energy Science’s Institute.