One sample, many dimensions: prospects for multimodal nanoscale characterization

Complementary nanoscale methods can extract different structural and material information from the same specimen, but combining them demands precise positioning and access. Alexandra Glück examines flexible multi-axis sample manipulation across electron microscopy, spectroscopy, diffraction, probing, nanoindentation and tomography. SmarAct’s customizable SEM platform illustrates approaches to alignment, measurement geometry and transitions between techniques, including in-situ experiments. The emphasis is on how adaptable manipulation enables complementary measurements to build a fuller account of a specimen’s structure and properties. An interactive discussion follows.