An undesirable air bubble created a hole in a flat substrate, which turned into a dark moon hiding the sun in a starry sky after the dewetting of a thin selenium film. Microscope: SEM Gemini.
Goldfish with human face, Shuqing Song (LAS) May/June 2024
The image looks quite like a goldfish with a human face. Microscope: SEM Teneo.Microscopic Bloom – A Rose Unveiled, Thi Ha My Pham (LMER) March/April 2024
Gas Diffusion Electrode after electrochemical CO2 reduction. Microscope: SEM Teneo.Lunar eclipse, Laurène Tribolet (FIMAP) January/February 2024
An undesirable air bubble created a hole in a flat substrate, which turned into a dark moon hiding the sun in a starry sky after the dewetting of a thin selenium film. Microscope: SEM Gemini.
2023 winners gallery
Selenium Valley, Laurène Tribolet, Eva Vogt (FIMAP) November/December 2023
Thin layer of selenium dewetted into beautifully spread droplets on winding resist valleys resulting from unwanted buckling. Microscope: SEM Gemini.
Dendritic growth of copper during electrodeposition resembling blooming of flowers. Microscope: SEM/FIB CrossBeam.
Roaring Fire, Yan Meng (FIMAP) July/August 2023
Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF) polymer thin film after thermally drawing. This soft and plastic film under microscopy looks like fire burning with flames. Microscope: SEM Gemini.
SEM image of a chemically synthesized gold crystalline flake exhibiting a fractal-shaped defect, reminiscent of von Koch fractal. Perhaps, the crystal was unlucky to get a defect during the growth as it was labelled with the unlucky number 13? Microscope: SEM/FIB CrossBeam.
For 2023 St-Patrick’s day: an Irish fiddle made of the stacking of Cu cubes and few Cu rods. Microscope: TEM Spirit.
Tunnel to nowhere, Cédric Van Goethem (LAS) January/February 2023
Unwanted wrinkle in a porous nanocrystalline graphene membrane. Microscope: SEM Teneo.
Selenium Valley, Laurène Tribolet, Eva Vogt (FIMAP) November/December 2023
Thin layer of selenium dewetted into beautifully spread droplets on winding resist valleys resulting from unwanted buckling. Microscope: SEM Gemini.Dendretic flowers – Ayush Khurana (TIC) September/October 2023
Dendritic growth of copper during electrodeposition resembling blooming of flowers. Microscope: SEM/FIB CrossBeam.Roaring Fire, Yan Meng (FIMAP) July/August 2023
Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF) polymer thin film after thermally drawing. This soft and plastic film under microscopy looks like fire burning with flames. Microscope: SEM Gemini.von Koch’s goldflake #I13, Sergejs Boroviks (STI – NAM) May/June 2023
SEM image of a chemically synthesized gold crystalline flake exhibiting a fractal-shaped defect, reminiscent of von Koch fractal. Perhaps, the crystal was unlucky to get a defect during the growth as it was labelled with the unlucky number 13? Microscope: SEM/FIB CrossBeam.Nano Irish Fiddle, Ludovic Zaza (LNCE) March/April 2023
For 2023 St-Patrick’s day: an Irish fiddle made of the stacking of Cu cubes and few Cu rods. Microscope: TEM Spirit.Tunnel to nowhere, Cédric Van Goethem (LAS) January/February 2023
Unwanted wrinkle in a porous nanocrystalline graphene membrane. Microscope: SEM Teneo.
Nothing better than a nano ice cream during a hot summer afternoon. Composed of randomly distributed Cu nanocrystals around a Cu rod. Microscope: TEM Tecnai G2 Spirit Twin (Sion).
Geometries, Alejandra Slagter (LMM) May/June 2022
A spherical inclusion sitting on a chemically etched iron surface. Microscope: Gemini SEM
Ge sea monsters, Andrea Giunto (LMSC) March/April 2022
Germanium monsters arose at the bottom of a Silicon ocean from a Ion Beam Etching gone wrong. They are waiting with their gaping jaws for the next pray passing by. Microscope: SEM/FIB NVision.
Cement coral, Andrea Teixeira (LMC) January/February 2022
Calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) and ettringite coral in a cement sample after one day of hydration. Microscope: SEM Merlin.
Freeze-dried polymeric core shell particle. Microscope: SEM Gemini.Spider TEM, Pierpaolo Ranieri (INE) September/October 2022
Potassium niobate lamella prepared using focused ion beam. As an effect of the bend contours a spider appears on the surface. Microscope: TEM Talos.Nano Ice-Cream, Ludovic Zaza (LNCE) July/August 2022
Nothing better than a nano ice cream during a hot summer afternoon. Composed of randomly distributed Cu nanocrystals around a Cu rod. Microscope: TEM Tecnai G2 Spirit Twin (Sion).Geometries, Alejandra Slagter (LMM) May/June 2022
A spherical inclusion sitting on a chemically etched iron surface. Microscope: Gemini SEMGe sea monsters, Andrea Giunto (LMSC) March/April 2022
Germanium monsters arose at the bottom of a Silicon ocean from a Ion Beam Etching gone wrong. They are waiting with their gaping jaws for the next pray passing by. Microscope: SEM/FIB NVision.Cement coral, Andrea Teixeira (LMC) January/February 2022
Calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) and ettringite coral in a cement sample after one day of hydration. Microscope: SEM Merlin.
Solar system model, Mukesh Tripathi (LANES) November/December 2021
Differential phase contrast (DPC) imaging of freestanding 2D materials with thickness variations. Microscope: TEM Themis
3D nano-ant walking in TiAl alloy – Gulnaz Ganeeva (LSME) September/October 2021
Anaglyph made from tilt-less stereo-pair STEM images of dislocations in TiAl alloy, stereo-angle approximately 2 degrees. Best viewed with 3D glasses. Microscope: TEM Osiris.
Micrometer Mountains of Valais, Luis Francisco Villalobos (LAS) May/June 2021
A failed yet beautiful attempt towards the optimization of poly(triazine imide) membranes. We deposited single-layer poly(triazine imide)nanosheets on a porous alumina support. Microscope: SEM Teneo.
Formation of silico-alkali-calcareous “hedgehogs” in concrete immersed for 3 months in an alkaline solution. Microscope: SEM Merlin.
Seascraper, France Bourely (LNMC) January/February 2021
Phytoplancton emerging from a pore on the skeleton of the mediterranean sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. The function of the many interconnected pores is to allow the passage of adhesive tube feet, mainly for locomotion. This endoskeleton, enclosed by an epidermis, and spines, is called a test. It is famous for its beautiful symmetry, and is mostly made of calcite and magnesite. Its shape is effective at distributing stress evenly over the surface. Marine echinoderms can be studied for their numerous biomimetic applications. Gold coated, and photographed at 2kv on a Gemini-SEM 300.
Solar system model, Mukesh Tripathi (LANES) November/December 2021
Differential phase contrast (DPC) imaging of freestanding 2D materials with thickness variations. Microscope: TEM Themis3D nano-ant walking in TiAl alloy – Gulnaz Ganeeva (LSME) September/October 2021
Anaglyph made from tilt-less stereo-pair STEM images of dislocations in TiAl alloy, stereo-angle approximately 2 degrees. Best viewed with 3D glasses. Microscope: TEM Osiris.Micrometer Mountains of Valais, Luis Francisco Villalobos (LAS) May/June 2021
A failed yet beautiful attempt towards the optimization of poly(triazine imide) membranes. We deposited single-layer poly(triazine imide)nanosheets on a porous alumina support. Microscope: SEM Teneo. Furry Friends – Solene Barbotin-Albinski (LMC) March/April 2021
Formation of silico-alkali-calcareous “hedgehogs” in concrete immersed for 3 months in an alkaline solution. Microscope: SEM Merlin.Seascraper, France Bourely (LNMC) January/February 2021
Phytoplancton emerging from a pore on the skeleton of the mediterranean sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. The function of the many interconnected pores is to allow the passage of adhesive tube feet, mainly for locomotion. This endoskeleton, enclosed by an epidermis, and spines, is called a test. It is famous for its beautiful symmetry, and is mostly made of calcite and magnesite. Its shape is effective at distributing stress evenly over the surface. Marine echinoderms can be studied for their numerous biomimetic applications. Gold coated, and photographed at 2kv on a Gemini-SEM 300.
