The world of electron microscopy -- zooming in on the tiniest parts of the world -- is teetering on better-than-ever resolution, which means improved science and research. To map out electron microscopy's future, about two dozen of the world's top electron microscopy scientists are speaking at the workshop "Electron Microscopy: Fundamental Limits and New Science," July 16-20, at Cornell with about 80 other participants.

The researchers at the workshop, which is hosted by the Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science, are assessing the present state of analytical electron microscopy and its impact on the physical sciences. They also are planning electron microscopy's future development, which will include a super-scanning transmission electron microscope (SuperSTEM) to be housed in Duffield Hall at Cornell -- the first new electron microscope built in this country in 30 years.

Electron microscopes, the most powerful microscopes available today, work in a way similar to optical microscopes. However, rather than using light, electron microscopes use electronic beams, scanned over an object, to examine objects in ultrafine detail that would not be picked up by optical microscopes. The image from an electron microscope -- seen as high as 10 million times magnified -- is captured magnetically and converted into an image that can be viewed on a computer screen.

Scientists use electron microscopy to examine biological samples, crystal structures and metal. Electron microscopy is important because it allows scientists to see and understand objects at the nanoscale, said David Muller, Cornell associate professor of applied and engineering physics, and a conference organizer.

"Using electron microscopy is like looking down from space and not only finding a parked car in the United States, but then locating a pin on the front seat and determining its color," he said.

Workshop highlights include:

Cornell's Kavli Institute is part of the worldwide network of Kavli Institutes. Robert C. Richardson, Cornell senior vice provost for research, leads Cornell's institute, which seeks to address the major challenges and opportunities for science at the atomic and molecular scale. The institute assembles the world's seminal thinkers in nanoscale science, fosters a collaborative, multidisciplinary research community at Cornell and defines a path for progress in creating significant new science.