Advanced Transmission Electron Microscopy of Microstructure-Property Relationships in Magnetic Materials and Semiconductor Devices by Professor Rafal E. Dunin-Borkowski

MSE Distinguished Speaker Series 2026 Hosted by Assistant Professor Prashant Kumar

Abstract

The transmission electron microscope is a powerful instrument for measuring not only local variations in microstructure and composition in materials, but also their functional properties. In particular, electron optical phase contrast techniques can be used to provide quantitative information about local variations in magnetic field and electrostatic potential in materials with nanometer to atomic spatial resolution, both in projection and in three dimensions. In this talk, I will illustrate how the technique of off-axis electron holography can be used to provide unique insight into microstructure-property relationships in nanoscale magnetic materials and semiconductor devices. Such measurements can be performed in the presence of external stimuli such as magnetic field, voltage, reduced or elevated temperature, reactive gas and light. I will conclude the talk with a report on progress in the installation and commissioning of five next-generation electron microscope platforms in the Ernst Ruska-Centre in Forschungszentrum Jülich, as well as on plans for a European Distributed Research Infrastructure for Advanced Electron Microscopy.

Biography


Professor Rafal E. Dunin-Borkowski
Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons
Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany

Rafal E. Dunin-Borkowski is Director of the Ernst Ruska-Centre in Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany. He specializes in the characterization of magnetic and electronic materials at the highest spatial resolution using advanced transmission electron microscopy techniques, including aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and off-axis electron holography. In 2009 he was awarded the Ernst Ruska Prize of the German Society for Electron Microscopy. In 2012, 2017 and 2019 he was awarded Advanced, Proof of Concept and Synergy Grants by the European Research Council. He is co-leader of the distributed research infrastructure "Microscopy Europe: Advanced Electron Microscopy for Accelerated Materials Development". From 2027, he is President of the International Federation of Societies for Microscopy.