Live Band Nanoscopy: Mapping electronic bands in working photoelectrochemical devices

Imagine having a map that reveals how electrons in a material behave under various conditions. Physicists refer to this map as the electronic band structure, which they use to predict the electrical, optical, magnetic, and thermal properties of materials. Despite its importance, experimentally measuring the electronic band structure is very challenging, especially at the nanometer scale. Consequently, nanoscopic variations in the band structure of many technologically significant materials remain invisible to us. This project aims to implement a novel method based on electron microscopy to overcome these challenges. We will apply this method to study nanoscale structures used in photoelectrochemical cells for sustainable energy production and attempt to uncover the mechanisms hindering their efficiency.