LNNano’s Characterization Division was designed to enable research in the high-end characterization of nanostructured materials, focusing its activities on electron microscopy, cryomicroscopy and atomic force microscopy. The physical infrastructure was designed to accommodate state-of-the-art microscopes, with minimal disturbance from external factors (mechanical vibration, thermal fluctuation and electromagnetic interference), thus enabling maximum resolution from each piece of equipment.

Our facilities are supported by a dedicated technical team, with extensive experience in microscopy and related techniques. A number of high-resolution microscopes are available, including instruments that are double-corrected against aberrations, with image and analysis resolution of 0.5 angstroms, corrected Cryo-EM and with energy filter for biomolecule images. Dual-beam scanning microscopes (FIB-SEM) and atomic force microscopes to explore the most diverse functionalities in material, biological and environmental sciences. We also have dedicated and fully equipped laboratories for the preparation of samples of hard materials and biological samples.

Our research seeks to develop methodologies for advanced AFM, SEM, TEM and Cryo-EM techniques, both in experimental approaches and in data processing. Particular attention is given to data analysis by the technique of Single Particle Cryo-EM and Pair Distribution Function.