Center for Functional Nanomaterials Seminar

The development of electron and scanning probe microscopies in the second half of XX century have produced spectacular images of internal structure and functionalities of matter with nanometer and now atomic resolution. Much of this progress since 80ies was enabled by computer-assisted methods for data acquisition and analysis that provided automated analogs of classical storage methods. However, the progress in imaging technologies since the beginning of XXI century has opened the veritable floodgates of high-veracity information on atomic positions and functionality, often in the form of multidimensional data sets containing partial or full information on atomic positions, functionalities, etc. In this presentation, I will discuss the research activity coordinated by the Institute for Functional Imaging of Materials (IFIM), namely pathways to bridge imaging and theory via big data technologies to enable design of new materials with tailored functionalities. This goal will be achieved first through a big data approach ��" i.e., developing pathways for full information retrieval and exploring correlations in structural and functional imaging. In Scanning Probe Microscopy, this approach is illustrated via full information capture in SPM based on recording and complete analysis of data stream from photodetector. This general-mode (G-Mode) SPM is illustrated for classical SPM modes such as intermittent contact mode SPM, as well as piezoresponse force microscopy and spectroscopy (PFM) and Kelvin probe microscopy. The analysis of the information contact allows deducing in which cases classical signal processing allows unbiased representation of the tip-surface interactions and which it incurs significant information loss. The approaches for full mapping on frequency responses providing complete view of tip-surface interactions are discussed. In electron microscopy, the big data approaches are illustrated by full data acquisition in ptychography and real-space cry