Fast automatic multiscale electron tomography for sensitive materials under environmental conditions
Abstract The demand for characterisation of beam-sensitive samples at the nanoscale in environmental conditions is increasing for applications in materials science and biology. Here we communicate a protocol with custom software, enabling precise control over the electron microscope, and a custom sa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Communications Engineering |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44172-025-00482-7 |
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| author | Louis-Marie Lebas Karine Masenelli-Varlot Victor Trillaud Cédric Messaoudi Mimoun Aouine Laurence Burel Valentine Noblesse Clémentine Fellah Erwan Allain Christophe Goudin José Ferreira Matthieu Amor Lucian Roiban |
| author_facet | Louis-Marie Lebas Karine Masenelli-Varlot Victor Trillaud Cédric Messaoudi Mimoun Aouine Laurence Burel Valentine Noblesse Clémentine Fellah Erwan Allain Christophe Goudin José Ferreira Matthieu Amor Lucian Roiban |
| author_sort | Louis-Marie Lebas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The demand for characterisation of beam-sensitive samples at the nanoscale in environmental conditions is increasing for applications in materials science and biology. Here we communicate a protocol with custom software, enabling precise control over the electron microscope, and a custom sample holder, facilitating automated acquisition of fast 3D data from a single object under environmental conditions. This method enables imaging with a controlled electron dose and multi-modal electron signals. The method can be used in environmental scanning or transmission electron microscopes for easy sample preparation and to benefit from high spatial resolution, respectively. To demonstrate its effectiveness, we investigate the porosity of Al(OH)3 hydrogels, and the penetration ability and distribution of gold nanoparticles. Unfixed, hydrated magnetotactic bacteria producing intracellular iron oxide nanoparticles were also characterized in 3D in their native state. This methodological and technical development serves as a milestone in the study of various samples at any humidity level, offering easier sample preparation compared to cryo-TEM techniques, while maintaining a similar or even lower dose level. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-40ea809e33c74236bb5781f6040a99da |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2731-3395 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-40ea809e33c74236bb5781f6040a99da2025-08-20T03:05:24ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Engineering2731-33952025-08-014111110.1038/s44172-025-00482-7Fast automatic multiscale electron tomography for sensitive materials under environmental conditionsLouis-Marie Lebas0Karine Masenelli-Varlot1Victor Trillaud2Cédric Messaoudi3Mimoun Aouine4Laurence Burel5Valentine Noblesse6Clémentine Fellah7Erwan Allain8Christophe Goudin9José Ferreira10Matthieu Amor11Lucian Roiban12MATEIS, UMR5510, Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, UCBL, CNRSMATEIS, UMR5510, Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, UCBL, CNRSMATEIS, UMR5510, Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, UCBL, CNRSMultimodal Imaging Center, Institut Curie, CNRS UAR2016, INSERM US43, PSL Research University, Université Paris-SaclayIRCELYON, UMR 5256, CNRS et Université Lyon 1IRCELYON, UMR 5256, CNRS et Université Lyon 1MATEIS, UMR5510, Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, UCBL, CNRSENS Lyon, UMR 5276, LGL-TPE, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRSMATEIS, UMR5510, Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, UCBL, CNRSMATEIS, UMR5510, Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, UCBL, CNRSMATEIS, UMR5510, Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, UCBL, CNRSENS Lyon, UMR 5276, LGL-TPE, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRSMATEIS, UMR5510, Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, UCBL, CNRSAbstract The demand for characterisation of beam-sensitive samples at the nanoscale in environmental conditions is increasing for applications in materials science and biology. Here we communicate a protocol with custom software, enabling precise control over the electron microscope, and a custom sample holder, facilitating automated acquisition of fast 3D data from a single object under environmental conditions. This method enables imaging with a controlled electron dose and multi-modal electron signals. The method can be used in environmental scanning or transmission electron microscopes for easy sample preparation and to benefit from high spatial resolution, respectively. To demonstrate its effectiveness, we investigate the porosity of Al(OH)3 hydrogels, and the penetration ability and distribution of gold nanoparticles. Unfixed, hydrated magnetotactic bacteria producing intracellular iron oxide nanoparticles were also characterized in 3D in their native state. This methodological and technical development serves as a milestone in the study of various samples at any humidity level, offering easier sample preparation compared to cryo-TEM techniques, while maintaining a similar or even lower dose level.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44172-025-00482-7 |
| spellingShingle | Louis-Marie Lebas Karine Masenelli-Varlot Victor Trillaud Cédric Messaoudi Mimoun Aouine Laurence Burel Valentine Noblesse Clémentine Fellah Erwan Allain Christophe Goudin José Ferreira Matthieu Amor Lucian Roiban Fast automatic multiscale electron tomography for sensitive materials under environmental conditions Communications Engineering |
| title | Fast automatic multiscale electron tomography for sensitive materials under environmental conditions |
| title_full | Fast automatic multiscale electron tomography for sensitive materials under environmental conditions |
| title_fullStr | Fast automatic multiscale electron tomography for sensitive materials under environmental conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fast automatic multiscale electron tomography for sensitive materials under environmental conditions |
| title_short | Fast automatic multiscale electron tomography for sensitive materials under environmental conditions |
| title_sort | fast automatic multiscale electron tomography for sensitive materials under environmental conditions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44172-025-00482-7 |
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