Single atoms show their true color

Researchers at Michigan State University have developed a new technique that combines atomic-scale imaging with extremely short laser pulses to detect single-atom defects that manufacturers add to semiconductors to tune their electronic performance. “This is particularly relevant for components with nanoscale structures,” said Tyler Cocker, a scientist who led this study. The technique is straightforward to implement with the right equipment, he added, and his team is already applying it to atomically thin materials, such as graphene nanoribbons.