In a new study, a physics team at the University of Iowa designed a special microscope that can precisely study the interaction between light and matter that underpins electronic devices, such as those used in interior home lighting, smartphones, televisions and solar panels. The infrared cryo-microscope, designed by a team led by Thomas Folland, assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, uses off-the shelf components to make precise measurements of different materials’ properties.