From galaxies to nanocrystals : a brief trip across 30 orders of magnitude
Résumé
As electron microscopists, many of us become engrossed in observing the shape, size, and atomic structure of nanoparticles every day. With our focus on the atoms in a single quantum dot, it is easy to lose sight of the broader physical perspective. This short essay highlights some wider connections as a way of linking electron microscopy to the quest for knowledge on other length scales. The scientific enterprise relies on images that expand the range of human vision, from the galactic to the atomic, from the origins of the universe to the discovery of new materials. From this viewpoint, it is interesting to look at some connections across nearly 30 orders of magnitude.