Single-Molecule Atomic-Resolution Time-resolved Electron Microscopy (SMART-EM) is an imaging technique in which target molecules, isolated and supported on low-dimensional materials such as carbon nanotubes or graphene, are recorded as video using a transmission electron microscope (TEM) equipped with a high-speed camera. By tracking the temporal changes of molecules as atomic-resolution video, this method captures three-dimensional structural transformations of complex organic molecules and molecular assemblies, as well as chemical reactions induced by heat or the electron beam, enabling the analysis of various chemical phenomena through statistical data on the behavior of individual molecules—information unattainable by bulk analysis. We are also working on analyzing elemental composition and electronic states at the single-molecule level using analytical electron microscopy.

We are also promoting the development of functional materials by integrating structural observation and video recording by electron microscopy with materials synthesis. As one example, we have successfully synthesized a bimolecular membrane composed of [60]fullerene molecules bearing hydrogen-bonding moieties, using the gas–liquid interface as a site for molecular assembly. This membrane maintains a uniform 3-nanometer-thick structure over an area of several tens of square centimeters and is notable for being isolable as a free-standing film. It also exhibits rapid proton conduction through the hydrophilic space formed within the membrane. Electron microscopy observation has further revealed that the membrane has a flexible, amorphous structure and displays reversible actuator-like behavior in response to electron beam irradiation, suggesting potential applications as an ion conductor, sensing material, and electron microscopy sample support.