Instrumentation
Instrumentation to Push the Boundaries of Electron Microscopy
The ER-C has a long-standing tradition of developing and applying cutting-edge electron-optical technologies. In the 1990s, under the direction of Professor Knut W. Urban, ER-C scientists played a pioneering role in the development of aberration correction for electron microscopy, with the first prototype of an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope installed at Jülich.
Today, this tradition continues through the development and application of advanced electron microscopy and spectroscopy techniques. Our scientists work at the forefront of high-resolution and analytical microscopy, with a focus on increasing spatial, temporal and energy resolution and developing new capabilities for imaging and spectroscopy at the atomic scale.
These capabilities support research across a broad range of fields, including materials science, nanotechnology, physics, chemistry and structural biology. They encompass high-resolution and analytical electron microscopy, advanced in-situ experimentation, cryo-electron microscopy and complementary techniques for sample preparation and microstructural characterisation.
The ER-C combines state-of-the-art instrumentation with the scientific and technical expertise required to develop new methods and address challenging research questions.
Our portfolio of instruments, experimental capabilities and supporting infrastructure is available through the ER-C User Facility:
Last Modified: 23.09.2026