"Unprecedented Imaging: Synchrotron X-rays Capture a Single Atom"

Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have achieved the single-atom limit in synchrotron X-ray scanning tunnelling microscopy, allowing for the characterization of materials at the atomic level. By adding a sharp metallic tip to a conventional X-ray detector, they were able to detect X-ray-excited core-level electrons in samples containing iron or terbium atoms. This breakthrough has important implications for various fields, including medical and environmental research, as it enables the investigation of individual atoms and their chemical properties. It also opens up possibilities for designing advanced materials and exploring magnetic properties for spintronic and quantum applications.