Breakthrough and application of electron ptychography techniques

The aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope is one of the most widely used tools for high-resolution characterization of the microstructure and physical state of materials, and has greatly advanced the development of many scientific fields. One of the latest breakthroughs in electron microscopy is electron ptychography, which can achieve the ultimate resolution limited by atomic lattice vibrations, surpassing the resolution limits of all conventional imaging techniques. Moreover, it allows for high-precision imaging of nanoscale electromagnetic states. In this article, we review its history, principle, and recent progress, then discuss its potential applications and future directions.