2024/01/22 by Jeremy J. Axelrod, Jessie T. Zhang, Axelrod, Jeremy J. +7
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications #Advanced X-ray Imaging Techniques #Biomolecules (q-bio.BM) #Electron and X-Ray Spectroscopy Techniques #FOS: Biological sciences #FOS: Physical sciences #Optics (physics.optics) #Quantitative Methods (q-bio.QM)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2401.11678
openalex publication_date 2024/01/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Although defocus can be used to generate partial phase contrast in transmission electron microscope images, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) can be further improved by the development of phase plates which increase contrast by applying a phase shift to the unscattered part of the electron beam. Many approaches have been investigated, including the ponderomotive interaction between light and electrons. We review the recent successes achieved with this method in high-resolution, single-particle cryo-EM. We also review the status of using pulsed or near-field enhanced laser light as alternatives, along with approaches that use scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with a segmented detector rather than a phase plate.