Prof. van Aken’s research focuses on the atomic-scale characterization of interfaces, functional complex oxide hetero-structures, strained semiconductors, of optical properties of nanostructured thin films and plasmonic-active nanostructures, nanoparticles and nanomaterials, as well as of molecules on 2D materials. He uses and further develops the advanced scanning TEM techniques electron energy-loss spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, in-line electron holography, in-situ TEM methods, strain mapping, quantitative high-resolution TEM analysis, different quantitative electron diffraction techniques, image processing and simulation, and 4D-STEM, electron ptychography and tomography.