David Muller, a professor of applied physics who led the research, explains how the new microscope will be able to see atoms of different types as different colors, thus identifying clearly the different chemical species. The tool is a new type of scanning electron microscope, equipped with special technology of correction. This system allows you to focus a thin and intense electron ray on an area smaller than a single atom: This way you can get information normally hidden in the "background noise", in no time at all.

In particular, as each atom interacts differently with the electron beam, we can identify the individual atomic species. Furthermore, this method can make it possible to highlight the links between the atoms in a crystal, as such ties have special electronic density with which the electron beam incidentally interacts.

One of the most important applications that you can imagine for this new system is represented by the study of the pathology materials, "namely the study of the atomic structure of materials for electronic devices, verify the correct assembly and identifying any defects otherwise invisible.

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