Low Temperature Electron Microscopy and Manipulation of Electronic Order

Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) affords atomic-scale visualizations of the structure of materials, but achieving a deeper understanding requires coupling imaging to a relevant in situ stimulus. For instance, the majority of so-called quantum materials exhibit exotic properties --spanning superconductivity, charge and orbital order, multiferroic order, and metal-insulator transitions-exclusively below room temperature, which necessitates cryogenic imaging capabilities. Recent demonstrations of cryogenic STEM with high resolution, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and precision open the door for understanding said exotic electronic and structural phases [1,2,3]. Here, we illustrate the power of high-resolution cryogenic STEM for observing and mapping low temperature electronic phenomena.