UTEM & LUMiNaD
General Information
The UTEM system at the LUMiNaD facility of the University of Milano‑Bicocca is the first Ultrafast Transmission Electron Microscope installed in Italy, representing a unique platform for investigating structural and electronic dynamics with simultaneous femtosecond temporal resolution and sub‑nanometer spatial resolution. The instrument couples a femtosecond laser to a state‑of‑the‑art TEM, enabling pump–probe experiments in which ultrafast optical excitation is followed by electron‑based imaging or diffraction. This cross‑scale approach allows researchers to access real‑space and reciprocal‑space information within the same experiment, providing direct insight into transient structural rearrangements, phase transitions, and non‑equilibrium phenomena. The UTEM is particularly suited for studying the ultrafast response of low‑dimensional materials, including 2D systems, nanostructures, and quantum materials, where electronic and structural degrees of freedom are strongly coupled. It enables the observation of electronic and lattice correlations under out‑of‑equilibrium conditions, the real‑time evolution of nano‑chemical and biophysical processes, and the coherent modulation of free‑electron wavefunctions induced by tailored light fields. The system also supports investigations of electron–light–matter interactions at sub‑wavelength scales, opening new opportunities in quantum coherent control and ultrafast electron optics. Integrated within the LUMiNaD laboratory, the UTEM benefits from advanced sample‑handling tools, environmental control, and complementary optical diagnostics, making it a powerful and versatile platform for fundamental research in physics, chemistry, materials science, and nanotechnology.
Technical description
The UTEM developed and operated within the LUMiNaD laboratory at the University of Milano‑Bicocca is a unique instrument that integrates a JEOL JEM‑2100 Plus TEM with an amplified femtosecond laser system (PHAROS, Light Conversion) through a dedicated coupling module featuring three optical access points. This configuration enables pump–probe experiments in which ultrafast optical excitation is followed by electron‑based imaging or diffraction, providing simultaneous femtosecond temporal resolution and sub‑nanometer spatial resolution. The TEM is equipped with advanced sample holders, high‑sensitivity detectors, and precision control systems that support a wide range of experimental conditions, including low‑dose imaging for beam‑sensitive materials and high‑tilt geometries for structural analysis. The UTEM platform allows researchers to directly observe transient structural dynamics, photo‑induced phase transitions, and non‑equilibrium processes in real time. It is particularly suited for investigating low‑dimensional materials, nanoscale heterostructures, and quantum materials, where electronic and structural degrees of freedom evolve on ultrafast timescales. The system also enables studies of nano‑chemical and biophysical processes, coherent modulation of free‑electron wavefunctions, and electron–light–matter interactions at sub‑wavelength scales.
Research areas and applications
1) ultrafast phenomena in nanoscale quantum materials; 2) light-induced coherent modulation of a free-electron wavefunction; 3) dynamic behavior of nano-chemical and biophysical systems; 4) dynamic control of magnetic systems; 5) electron-structural correlations in non-equilibrium condition.
Science highlights
Experimental team
- Giovanni Maria Vanacore
- University of Milano Bicocca
- Associate Professor