In materials science & engineering, 'material characterization' plays an important role in bridging the structure, properties, process, and performance of materials. Among various material analysis techniques, electron microscopy is an indispensable tool in terms of spatial resolution and the ability to comprehensively analyze samples. Electron microscopy, which is broadly divided into transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), can provide morphological and crystallographic information of material by irradiating an electron beam onto a sample to obtain images and diffraction patterns. It is also possible to perform chemical analysis and at the same time reveal the electronic structure of the material using various signals (characteristic X-rays, energy loss electrons, light, etc.) generated from the specimen-electron beam interaction.

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 The focus of our group is to develop the science underlying the fabrication of advanced materials and devices through a detailed atomic-level understanding of the mass transport mechanisms, chemical reaction kinetics, and material thermodynamics controlling the material synthesis. We use a wide variety of in-situ (as well as ex-situ) characterization tools of scanning/transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM) such as liquid/gas cell, nano-probing, and heating stage to investigate the kinetics of nucleation, growth, and thermal/chemical stability of nanostructures.