The webinar is intended for students, early-career researchers, and anyone interested in gaining a practical understanding of TEM spectroscopy, from its physical foundations to its application in cutting-edge materials research.

🎤 Speaker: Dr. Nicolas Gauquelin, EMAT (Electron Microscopy for Materials Science), University of Antwerp, Department of Physics, Antwerp, Belgium

📅 August 6, 2026 @ 15:00 CET

Title: From Atoms to Electronic Structure: A Practical Introduction to EDX and EELS in the TEM

Registration: https://indico.desy.de/event/54617/

Participation: Zoom link

Abstract: Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has evolved far beyond a high-resolution imaging technique into a powerful platform for probing the chemistry and electronic structure of materials at the atomic scale. This webinar provides a practical introduction to the two principal spectroscopic techniques available in the TEM: energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS).

The webinar begins with the fundamentals of electron–matter interactions and explains how characteristic X-rays and energy-loss electrons are generated. Participants will learn the physical principles underlying EDX and EELS, how their spectra are formed and interpreted, and how the two techniques complement one another for elemental identification, quantitative analysis, and the characterization of materials ranging from light-element compounds to complex oxides.
Building on these foundations, the webinar explores the broader analytical capabilities of EELS, including low-loss and core-loss spectroscopy, plasmon excitations, band-gap measurements, specimen thickness determination, chemical bonding, oxidation-state analysis, and energy-loss near-edge fine structure (ELNES). The advantages of modern monochromated STEM-EELS for high-energy-resolution spectroscopy will also be discussed.
The final part of the webinar demonstrates how these techniques are applied to address contemporary research challenges in materials science. Through a series of examples—including atomically engineered oxide interfaces, electronic and magnetic phase control, high-mobility oxide heterostructures, and functional materials—the audience will see how TEM spectroscopy enables researchers to correlate atomic structure, chemistry, and electronic properties, providing insights that are often inaccessible by other characterization methods.