---
title: Nanoscale optical tomography with cathodoluminescence spectroscopy
description: The combination of cathodoluminescence with optical tomography enables the generation of 3-D maps of the optical landscape of objects with nanometer-scale resolution.
image: https://blog.delmic.com/hubfs/DelmicJune2016_Theme/Image/appl_GFP2.jpg
---

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# Nanoscale optical tomography with cathodoluminescence spectroscopy

[Delmic April 7, 2015](https://blog.delmic.com/news/author/delmic)

![](https://blog.delmic.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DelmicJune2016_Theme/Image/appl_GFP2.jpg?width=1080&name=appl_GFP2.jpg)

Engineers at [Stanford University](http://dionne.stanford.edu/) and the [FOM Institute AMOLF](http://www.amolf.nl/), in the Netherlands, have developed a way to visualize the optical properties of objects that are thousands of times smaller than a grain of sand, in 3-D and with nanometer-scale resolution.

To design the next generation of optical devices, ranging from efficient solar panels to LEDs to optical transistors, engineers will need a 3-dimensional image depicting how light interacts with these objects on the nanoscale. Unfortunately, the characterisation of optical properties at the nanoscale is a challenge due to the diffraction limit which is inherent in optical techniques. As a result, cathodoluminescence is an increasingly popular technology.

By combining cathodoluminescence with optical tomography, they have a unique combination of two techniques to enable the generation of 3-D maps of the optical landscape of objects with nanometer-scale resolution. The study is published in the current issue of *Nature Nanotechnology*.

 

 

## Reference & Contact

[Nanoscale optical tomography with cathodoluminescence spectroscopy](http://www.nature.com/nnano/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nnano.2015.39.html), *Nature Nanotechnology* 10, (2015), doi:10.1038/nnano.2015.39

Press release AMOLF, [Nanoscale optical tomography using electrons](https://amolf.nl/news/nanoscale-optical-tomography-using-electrons), April 6, 2015

Stanford News, [Stanford engineers devise optical method for producing high-res, 3-D images of nanoscale objects](http://news.stanford.edu/news/2015/april/nano-3d-imaging-040715.html), April 7, 2015

Toon Coenen, *application specialist*: [coenen@delmic.com](mailto:coenen@delmic.com)

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