Light-based electron aberration corrector
arXiv:2504.18661 · doi:10.1038/s41566-025-01760-8
Abstract
Achieving atomic resolution in electron microscopy has historically been hindered by spherical aberration, a fundamental limitation of conventional electron lenses. Its correction typically requires complex assemblies of electromagnetic multipoles. Here, we demonstrate that spherical aberration in a cylindrically symmetric electron lens can be fully compensated via interaction with a shaped light field. By analyzing distortions in high-magnification point-projection electron images of optical standing waves, we quantify the spherical aberration before and after light-induced correction. This approach introduces a new paradigm for optical control in electron beam shaping and opens a pathway towards compact and tunable light-based aberration correctors for high-resolution electron microscopy.
v2: AAM; licence: CC BY 4.0
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