April 7 - 11, 2025
Seattle, Washington
2025 MRS Spring Meeting & Exhibit

Symposium CH03-Advanced Scanning Probe Microscopy

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM), with notable examples including scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), plays a crucial role in offering high spatial resolution visualization of structures at the nanometer, molecular, and even atomic level. SPM offer distinct advantages over other imaging techniques, including high-resolution imaging, versatility applicable to a broad range of materials, in situ/operando imaging capabilities, non-destructive imaging, quantitative measurements and the ability to capture 3D structures. These ongoing advances in SPM technology and applications continue to broaden the impact of SPM-based methods across many research areas, encompassing surface and interfacial science, 2D and quantum materials, batteries, photovoltaics, and biomaterials.

This symposium focuses on covering a broad topic pertaining to recent technical advancements in SPM and their impact on materials discovery and optimization. Our aim is to bring together the scientists who are actively involved in the development and application of SPM techniques for characterizing diverse materials systems. In particular, we hope to stimulate the development and dissemination of SPM techniques include, for example, operando SPMs, correlative and multi-modal microscopies, and advancements in machine learning and instrumentation automation. We expect this symposium will serve as a platform for knowledge exchange and inspire collaborations that further propel the field of SPM and the applications in materials science.



Topics will include:

  • High-speed AFM and force mapping studies of interfacial structure and dynamics in inorganic and biomolecular systems
  • Time resolved electrostatic force microscopy/Kelvin probe force microscopy imaging of dynamic processes in electrical/optoelectronic materials
  • Piezoresponse force microscopy development, with applications to ferroelectrics and mechanical energy harvesting devices
  • SPM methods for probing energy materials, including photovoltaics, battery electrodes, battery interfaces, catalysts, and electrochemical processes in these materials
  • SPMs for quantum materials and layered semiconductors, including STM-based methods and spectroscopy
  • Development of advanced SPM probes and probe functionalization techniques
  • Living cell imaging and mechanobiology
  • Scanning microwave impedance microscopy, scanning capacitance microscopy, conductive and photoconductive AFM, scanning electrochemical microscopy
  • Machine learning/AI assisted instrumentation automation.
  • AFM-IR and related optical AFM methods for chemical contrast and materials mapping
  • Combined multimodal techniques (such as AFM/SEM and AFM/confocal) and data analysis methods
  • Signal processing and data-driven analysis of SPM images and spectra

Invited Speakers:

  • Sarah Burke (The University of British Columbia, Canada)
  • Mingyuan Chen (University of Michigan, USA)
  • Liam Collins (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA)
  • James De Yoreo (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, USA)
  • Shiyou Ding (Michigan State University, USA)
  • Ricardo Garcia (Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, Spain)
  • David Ginger (University of Washington, USA)
  • Peter Grutter (McGill University, Canada)
  • Mark Hersam (Northwestern University, USA)
  • Jennifer Hoffman (Harvard University, USA)
  • Yunseok Kim (Sungkyunkwan University, Republic of Korea)
  • Philippe Leclere (Université de Mons, Belgium)
  • Marina Leite (University of California, Davis, USA)
  • John Marohn (Cornell University, USA)
  • Rebecca Saive (University of Twente, Netherlands)
  • Laurene Tetard (University of Central Florida, USA)
  • Congzhou Wang (South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, USA)
  • Stefan Weber (Universität Stuttgart, Germany)
  • Alexander Weber-Bargioni (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA)
  • Xiaoji Xu (Lehigh University, USA)
  • Xin Zhang (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, USA)

Symposium Organizers

Shan Zhou
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
USA

Rajiv Giridharagopal
University of Washington
Department of Chemistry
USA

Ilka Maria Hermes
Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research
Germany

Benjamin Legg
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
USA

Topics

2D materials biomaterial in situ interface nanoscale quantum materials scanning probe microscopy (SPM) scanning tunneling microscopy (STM)