News Physics

A twisted way to take pictures

New microscopes might use a corkscrew electron beam to capture images of tiny subjects

By Marissa Cevallos

- More than 2 years ago

Powerful lab microscopes may soon get a screwy upgrade.

GET IT TWISTED Corkscrew-shaped electron beams, created by shooting streams of electrons through a hologram, could improve the resolution of microscopes. © B. McMorran/NIST

BETTER VISION New microscopes could use holograms to split electron beams into multiple corkscrews that then fan out and strike an object, creating the pattern of circles above.