As the semiconductor industry continues to miniaturize chip components—essential for computers, implantable drug dispensers, cell phones, and other devices—the demand for ever-more detailed information from Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images has grown. Although the exquisite, atomic-scale resolution of an SEM can’t be improved, researchers at NIST have begun a multi-year study to reduce uncertainties in the measurements inferred from SEM images. To do so, NIST physicist John Villarrubia a

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) view rotating around the head of a glasswing butterfly (Greta oto). Credit: NANOFLIGHT (R) MOVIE, STEFAN DILLER / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY. Visit our SEM video gallery to see more clips: http://ow.ly/II7s50jK2Gd | Science Photo Library