Making Quick Processes Visible : Newsroom : Universität Hamburg

When developing environmentally friendly chemicals or innovative material, you must be able to make exceptionally high-resolution images of processes in molecules and nanoparticles. Tais Gorkhover from Universität Hamburg is researching new image-producing procedures as part of her HIGH-Q project and is now receiving funding from the European Research Council. The problem is familiar to users of pinhole cameras: a small, almost completely shut lens allows for a highly defined image but means a long exposure time. Quick movements are either blurry or invisible on the resulting photo. However, if you open the lens, you can reduce exposure times and photograph quick movements- while also sacrificing definition. Thus, resourceful photographers set up lamps to increase brightness. Despite a nearly closed lens, exposure times are shorter.