2026 SEM/TEM/EPMA Image Contest

Take Your Best Shot!

What Makes a Winning Image?

A winning image requires the following attributes:
  1. Artistically or esthetically pleasing to look at (eye catching).
  2. Good composition, not unlike any piece of artwork (layout, brightness contrast, color…).
  3. Technically sound with no charging, sharp focus, no astigmatism and the correct detector and accelerating voltage (usually the lower the better).

2026 SEM/TEM/EPMA Image Contest Winners

TITLE: Europium corals; SUBJECT: Metal Organic Framework (MOF) “Eu-BTC (where BTC = trimesic acid)” about tellurite glass. The image shows the coralloid structure of the Eu-BTC metal-organic lattice deposited on glass. ; CREDIT: Márcio de Paula, Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos - University of São Paulo (IQSC-USP); METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JSM 7200FJanuary 2026 WinnerCategory

TITLE: Europium corals; SUBJECT: Metal Organic Framework (MOF) “Eu-BTC (where BTC = trimesic acid)” about tellurite glass. The image shows the coralloid structure of the Eu-BTC metal-organic lattice deposited on glass. ; CREDIT: Márcio de Paula, Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos - University of São Paulo (IQSC-USP); METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JSM 7200F

2026 SEM/TEM/EPMA Image Contest Entrants

TITLE: Black Hole in Multimaterials Universe; SUBJECT: Wavy interconnected multi-material interface morphology; CREDIT: Zahra Bahranifard, Virginia Tech; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL SEMBlack Hole in Multimaterials UniverseCategory

SUBJECT: Wavy interconnected multi-material interface morphology; CREDIT: Zahra Bahranifard, Virginia Tech; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL SEM

TITLE: It's a worm!! ; SUBJECT: Pt nanoparticles on a perovskite that resembles a worm.; CREDIT: Kelvin Doan, Univeristy of Waterloo; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEM-F200 F2It's a worm!!Category

SUBJECT: Pt nanoparticles on a perovskite that resembles a worm.; CREDIT: Kelvin Doan, Univeristy of Waterloo; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEM-F200 F2

TITLE: Neuroblast; SUBJECT: This FESEM image shows the surface morphology of a neuron at ×2,200 magnification using secondary electron imaging; CREDIT: Neha Kumari, INST; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JSM-7610F PlusNeuroblastCategory

SUBJECT: This FESEM image shows the surface morphology of a neuron at ×2,200 magnification using secondary electron imaging; CREDIT: Neha Kumari, INST; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JSM-7610F Plus

TITLE: Petals of the Milky Way Dream; SUBJECT: Cobalt–Trimesic Acid MOF shows well-defined flower-like microstructures with radially arranged petal-shaped crystals; CREDIT: Neha Kumari, INST - Mohali, India; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JSM-7610F PlusPetals of the Milky Way DreamCategory

SUBJECT: Cobalt–Trimesic Acid MOF shows well-defined flower-like microstructures with radially arranged petal-shaped crystals; CREDIT: Neha Kumari, INST - Mohali, India; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JSM-7610F Plus

TITLE: Wisdom tooth; CREDIT: Maryam Karami; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL IT-500HRWisdom toothCategory

CREDIT: Maryam Karami; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL IT-500HR

TITLE: Size-controlled aggregation of iron oxide nanocolloids; SUBJECT: Iron oxide nanocolloid aggregates (TEM); CREDIT: Ali Sayyah, Virginia Tech; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL JEM 2100Size-controlled aggregation of iron oxide nanocolloidsCategory

SUBJECT: Iron oxide nanocolloid aggregates (TEM); CREDIT: Ali Sayyah, Virginia Tech; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL JEM 2100

TITLE: Symbols in Structure: Plus and Minus in NU-1000; SUBJECT: Rod-shaped NU-1000 particles align to form shapes reminiscent of plus and minus symbols.; CREDIT: Arshia Sulaiman, Virginia Tech; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL SEMSymbols in Structure: Plus and Minus in NU-1000Category

SUBJECT: Rod-shaped NU-1000 particles align to form shapes reminiscent of plus and minus symbols.; CREDIT: Arshia Sulaiman, Virginia Tech; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL SEM

TITLE: Pareidolia at the Microscale: A Unicorn in MOF-808; SUBJECT: This SEM image of MOF-808 reveals an unexpected unicorn-like silhouette formed by the intersection of rod-like particles.; CREDIT: Arshia Sulaiman, Virginia Tech; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL SEMPareidolia at the Microscale: A Unicorn in MOF-808Category

SUBJECT: This SEM image of MOF-808 reveals an unexpected unicorn-like silhouette formed by the intersection of rod-like particles.; CREDIT: Arshia Sulaiman, Virginia Tech; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL SEM

TITLE: “Pin”: A Character Written in Crystals; SUBJECT: ZIF-8 metal–organic framework crystals; CREDIT: Huanjun Bao, Virginia Tech; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL IT500"Pin"Category

A Character Written in Crystals; SUBJECT: ZIF-8 metal–organic framework crystals; CREDIT: Huanjun Bao, Virginia Tech; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL IT500

TITLE: Corrosion Crystal Growth; SUBJECT: Crystal Growth; CREDIT: Sheri Neva, Eurofins EAG; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL 6610lVCorrosion Crystal GrowthCategory

SUBJECT: Crystal Growth; CREDIT: Sheri Neva, Eurofins EAG; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL 6610lV

TITLE: Apatite Rose; SUBJECT: This micrograph depicts a single apatite crystal formation emerging as a solitary flower in full bloom. The micrograph was obtained with the support of the CINVESTAV-QRO, CENAPROT, and LIDTRA laboratories; CREDIT: Liliana Naranjo Naranjo y Juana Yesenia Ramos Martínez Colaboration, LIDTRA, CINVESTAV-Querétaro; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JSM-7610FApatite RoseCategory

SUBJECT: This micrograph depicts a single apatite crystal formation emerging as a solitary flower in full bloom. The micrograph was obtained with the support of the CINVESTAV-QRO, CENAPROT, and LIDTRA laboratories; CREDIT: Liliana Naranjo Naranjo y Juana Yesenia Ramos Martínez Colaboration, LIDTRA, CINVESTAV-Querétaro; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JSM-7610F

TITLE: Synapto Zebra; SUBJECT: Micrograph is from a pellet of synaptosomes showing a mutant mitochondria; CREDIT: Lita Duraine, Baylor College of Medicine; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL 1400 Plus TEMSynapto ZebraCategory

SUBJECT: Micrograph is from a pellet of synaptosomes showing a mutant mitochondria; CREDIT: Lita Duraine, Baylor College of Medicine; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL 1400 Plus TEM

TITLE: Europium corals; SUBJECT: Metal Organic Framework (MOF) “Eu-BTC (where BTC = trimesic acid)” about tellurite glass. The image shows the coralloid structure of the Eu-BTC metal-organic lattice deposited on glass. ; CREDIT: Márcio de Paula, Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos - University of São Paulo (IQSC-USP); METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JSM 7200FEuropium coralsCategory

SUBJECT: Metal Organic Framework (MOF) “Eu-BTC (where BTC = trimesic acid)” about tellurite glass. The image shows the coralloid structure of the Eu-BTC metal-organic lattice deposited on glass. ; CREDIT: Márcio de Paula, Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos - University of São Paulo (IQSC-USP); METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JSM 7200F

TITLE: Gysophilia paniculata Stigma; SUBJECT: Stigma of gysophilia paniculata; CREDIT: silvia andrade, CENTRO DE INVESTIGACION CIENTIFICA DE YUCATAN; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL 6360LVGysophilia paniculata StigmaCategory

SUBJECT: Stigma of gysophilia paniculata; CREDIT: silvia andrade, CENTRO DE INVESTIGACION CIENTIFICA DE YUCATAN; METHOD/INSTRUMENT: JEOL 6360LV

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