Revolutionizing Matter Analysis: Breakthrough X-Ray Imaging of Single Atoms

A groundbreaking achievement in the field of science has been made by a team of researchers led by Professor Saw Wai Hla from Ohio University and Argonne National Laboratory. They have successfully captured the first X-ray image of a single atom, potentially transforming the way scientists study the fundamental building blocks of matter.

This breakthrough allows researchers to not only observe atoms under a microscope but also determine their exact chemical composition using X-rays. As Professor Hla, who is also the director of the Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute at Ohio University, stated, "Now we can detect exactly the type of a particular atom, one atom at a time, and we can simultaneously measure its chemical state".

The ability to track compounds down to a single atom could have a significant impact on various fields, including environmental and medical sciences, potentially leading to innovative discoveries and cures with far-reaching implications for humanit. 

For their groundbreaking demonstration, the research team chose an iron atom and a terbium atom, both embedded in their respective molecular hosts. To capture the X-ray signal of an atom, the team used a specialized detector with a sharp metal tip positioned close to the sample, collecting X-ray-excited electrons through a technique known as synchrotron. 

References: phys.org