Scientists and researchers from the University of Sheffield are working on something many would consider impossible, and that is an experimental electron microscope that does not use any lenses and works perfectly. This device is also capable to magnify more powerful than any current models. Scientists are now able to create complex images by using mathematical analysis out of the meaningless patterns of circles and dots. High-resolution images have amazing contrast and up to 100 time’s greater magnification.

In a recent publication in Nature magazine that describes “Ptychographic electron microscopy and use of high-angle dark-field capable to scatter sub-nanometre imaging to make the best resolution possible. Researchers from the University of Sheffield outlined their goals in overcoming most of the limits that held back the true ability of the electron microscopy since its development by Ernst Ruska and Max Knoll.

They showed that they can improve the electron microscope by removing device located in the center of the microscope – the lens. Some problems in creating an electromagnetic lens of super high quality still exist but the microscope is capable to work almost to its theoretical limits and it is capable to operate at magnifications 100 times less than what it was predicted. They discovered that the best way to improve the electron microscope was to remove the lens completely and instead of regular lens they put a virtual lens that was created by applying certain mathematical algorithms to diffraction various patterns.

The real issue with all electron microscopes it the fact that they never work near their theoretical limit. Electron microscopes are capable to achieve amazing, incredible powers of magnification; in real life operation, the microscopes are approximately 25 to 100 times less powerful than in theory. The reason for this is because it is not easy to build lenses capable to exploit the full potential of the electron beam. The small imperfection in the development of a field coil that is the smallest fluctuation in the power going to it and the electron microscope can get electromagnetic astigmatism. To make these lenses perfect they need to place too many variables under a control. One way to make this possible is to use the brute force methods – this means, increase the power of the electron beam. This creates a large improvement, but this method pumps too much energy into a specimen tends until it behaves like a microwave burrito, which is not very good.

Because of all that, Researchers at the University of Sheffield decided to remove the lenses altogether. This may be sound like nonsense, but it works very well because the Sheffield team used virtual lens instead of regular lenses. The virtual lens is not made of glass or electromagnetic fields but it is made of mathematics.