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This study presents a real-time atomic-resolution observation of chemical reaction dynamics at the single-molecule level using single-molecule atomic-resolution time-resolved electron microscopy (SMART-EM). [60]Fullerene (C60) molecules were encapsulated in carbon nanotubes and monitored at 1600 frames per second using a direct electron detection (DED) camera. To overcome the inherently low signal-to-noise ratio in such ultrafast imaging, we applied Chambolle total variation denoising, enabling clear visualization of single-frame structures. This allowed us to resolve a cascade reaction featuring multiple transient intermediates, including a highly strained, short-lived species (＜3 ms). Structural identification was achieved via cross-correlation image matching analysis with simulated TEM images based on Osawa-Tomanek models. Even fleeting high-energy states were experimentally captured, validating theoretical predictions and revealing the stochastic nature of molecular trajectories. This work establishes a new paradigm for visualizing molecular dynamics, highlighting the emerging field of “cinematic chemistry.”

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  ©日本表面真空学会

Keyword: 電子顕微鏡, 単分子観察, 化学反応, その場観察, 映像分子科学

Date published: 2025-08-10

Publisher: Surface Science Society Japan

Journal:

• Vacuum and Surface Science (ISSN: 24335835) vol. 68 issue. 8 p. 442-447 20181533

Funding:

Manuscript type: Author's version (Accepted manuscript)

MDR DOI: https://doi.org/10.48505/nims.5642

First published URL: https://doi.org/10.1380/vss.68.442

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Updated at: 2025-08-20 08:30:27 +0900

Published on MDR: 2025-08-20 08:24:24 +0900