Beacause it isnt microscopic its an interpretation of a surface onto which electrons are bombarded, the interpretation is the impression made by the returning electrons.
@insanewarlock616 in that level we are not using light waves like conventional microscopes to magnify. Electron beams can only show you the surface structure of a sample through direct physical contact, because of this the color is not seen.
@insanewarlock616 It has to do with the wave length of the visible light spectrum. the wave length of violet light is about 40 micrometers (4 x 10 -6) in length. the size of the largest atom (caesium) is 265 picometers (2.7 x 10 -9 meters) in length. So yeah, that's about it. Cheers.
@insanewarlock616 Because there's no such thing as "color" at atomic levels. Colors are formed by pigmentation, light reflection, refraction and diffraction. At atomic levels, you'll only see "yes" (light) and "no" (dark).
In this case, the image is constructed by bouncing electrons off the object, not visible light. With optical microscopes, where the output is visible light, images are in colour. In some cases only blue light is used in optical microscopy, as its shorter wavelength allows greater resolution (visible detail).
The "TEAM" microscope uses electron beams with wavelengths of roughly 3 pm, visible light is 390 - 750nm
10pm = 1nm = 10^-9 m
So electron beam wavelengths are ~ 1000 x smaller than beams of light. Thanks to this you can see more detail, but electrons do not carry any information about the absorptive/reflective properties of materials in the optical light spectrum (colour).
This TEAM microscope is very impressive, in greatly improving the limitations from lenses etc!
@insanewarlock616 To my knowledge, a scanning electron microscope only images the intensity of the electron beam after it interacts with the sample. Just like with visible light, variations in intensity result in brighter and darker areas. But an SEM doesn't discriminate based on electron wavelength the way your eye does with photons.
@insanewarlock616 Because these particular images are not really "pictures", they are manipulated images based on data from forces acting on very sensitive probes. Atoms are smaller than the wavelength of visible light, so colour doesn't exist on these scales.
@insanewarlock616 A lot of them are because of the use of an STM microscope, which uses a tiny needle, usually a carbon nanotube to probe the "bumps" on the surface of an object, so of course it's given in false colour black and white as a height gradient. In addition to this, at this level objects don't interact with and emit light in the same way...
@insanewarlock616 This is not an optical microscope, it's a lot more complicated microscope, involving electron particles. With an usual optical microscope, you can see the colors, because the light reflects them. When you look trough electron microscopes, you can't see the colors, because there is no light. There are just electron generated images. Electrons are either stopped by the particles being observed, or they are let trough. Depending on this, the computer generates an image.
Fantastic!
fundamentalscience 3 months ago
Beacause it isnt microscopic its an interpretation of a surface onto which electrons are bombarded, the interpretation is the impression made by the returning electrons.
alex3st 6 months ago
One of the most believable yet unbelievable videos ever.
SteveArpo 6 months ago
It's just stunning! I wonder... why are microscopic pictures always black and white?
insanewarlock616 10 months ago
@insanewarlock616 in that level we are not using light waves like conventional microscopes to magnify. Electron beams can only show you the surface structure of a sample through direct physical contact, because of this the color is not seen.
themonkeyskates 10 months ago
@insanewarlock616 It has to do with the wave length of the visible light spectrum. the wave length of violet light is about 40 micrometers (4 x 10 -6) in length. the size of the largest atom (caesium) is 265 picometers (2.7 x 10 -9 meters) in length. So yeah, that's about it. Cheers.
caesare100 10 months ago
@insanewarlock616 Because there's no such thing as "color" at atomic levels. Colors are formed by pigmentation, light reflection, refraction and diffraction. At atomic levels, you'll only see "yes" (light) and "no" (dark).
sentidocomunve 9 months ago
@insanewarlock616 I suppose that at that scale, photons aren't ideal for imaging because of their behaviour and relative size.
Kookas 9 months ago
@insanewarlock616
In this case, the image is constructed by bouncing electrons off the object, not visible light. With optical microscopes, where the output is visible light, images are in colour. In some cases only blue light is used in optical microscopy, as its shorter wavelength allows greater resolution (visible detail).
Teghead 9 months ago
@insanewarlock616
The "TEAM" microscope uses electron beams with wavelengths of roughly 3 pm, visible light is 390 - 750nm
10pm = 1nm = 10^-9 m
So electron beam wavelengths are ~ 1000 x smaller than beams of light. Thanks to this you can see more detail, but electrons do not carry any information about the absorptive/reflective properties of materials in the optical light spectrum (colour).
This TEAM microscope is very impressive, in greatly improving the limitations from lenses etc!
Teghead 9 months ago
@insanewarlock616 To my knowledge, a scanning electron microscope only images the intensity of the electron beam after it interacts with the sample. Just like with visible light, variations in intensity result in brighter and darker areas. But an SEM doesn't discriminate based on electron wavelength the way your eye does with photons.
giftkrieger 9 months ago
@insanewarlock616 Because these particular images are not really "pictures", they are manipulated images based on data from forces acting on very sensitive probes. Atoms are smaller than the wavelength of visible light, so colour doesn't exist on these scales.
Neutrinoghost 6 months ago
@insanewarlock616 A lot of them are because of the use of an STM microscope, which uses a tiny needle, usually a carbon nanotube to probe the "bumps" on the surface of an object, so of course it's given in false colour black and white as a height gradient. In addition to this, at this level objects don't interact with and emit light in the same way...
Kalywonkas 5 months ago
@insanewarlock616 This is not an optical microscope, it's a lot more complicated microscope, involving electron particles. With an usual optical microscope, you can see the colors, because the light reflects them. When you look trough electron microscopes, you can't see the colors, because there is no light. There are just electron generated images. Electrons are either stopped by the particles being observed, or they are let trough. Depending on this, the computer generates an image.
b1odome 5 months ago
@insanewarlock616
These are not actual "views" of atoms, since no photons are used to scan the atomic surface. :)
These are made using electrons, not photons, the image is then reconstructed ..that's why there are "no colours" .
chibraxial 3 months ago
You've made my day with that one
MrAtraHasis 1 year ago
Wow, thank you.
Timmy10k 2 years ago
that is the most amazing thing i have seen i a long time. amazing job, science like this makes the world a better place!
nebnamlessac 2 years ago
Mind = Blown
GadBoDag 2 years ago
Ten years ago I was told we would never be able to see atoms.
I wonder what they're telling kids nowadays.
bborps 2 years ago 101
Well, we probably never will see atoms using light. You can't break the laws of physics but you can often find ways around them.
michalchik 2 years ago
Wow. That made my day. Good job.
didsaid 2 years ago 22
AWESOME !!!!!
fepok 2 years ago 10