Leading a groundbreaking study on the X-ray identification of a single atom, Professor Saw Wae Hla from Ohio University has achieved a significant scientific milestone. This achievement has promising implications for fields such as quantum information, nanotechnology, and environmental and medical science research. The study’s results have been published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature.
Traditionally, X-rays can only detect masses as small as an attogram, which consists of approximately 10,000 atoms. Scientists have long sought a method to identify even smaller masses, and Hla and his team have made remarkable progress in this area. Their research utilized a specially designed synchrotron X-ray instrument at the XTIP beamline of Advanced Photon Source and the Center for Nanoscale Materials at the Argonne lab.
According to Hla, the ability to determine the composition of individual atoms has significant implications for various fields, including environmental and medical sciences. Hla states, “Once we are able to do that, we can trace the materials down to the ultimate limit of just one atom. This will have a great impact on environmental and medical sciences and maybe even find a cure that can have a huge impact for humankind. This discovery will transform the world.”
The researchers successfully detected the X-ray signal of individual atoms by supplementing conventional detectors with synchrotron X-ray scanning tunneling microscopy (SX-STM). By positioning a sharp metal tip in close proximity to the sample, they collected X-ray excited electrons, allowing for precise identification and characterization of atoms. This breakthrough in X-ray science and nanoscale studies represents a significant milestone in the field, with potential applications in quantum information and the detection of trace elements in environmental and medical research.
Collaborating with scientists from Ohio University, the Argonne lab, and the University of Illinois-Chicago, Hla and his team have paved the way for advanced materials science instrumentation. The ability to identify individual atoms using X-rays opens up new possibilities for research and technology development. X-ray use has already made an impact in various industries, such as medical examinations, airport security screenings, and even remote examination of the composition of rocks on Mars.
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