Open-Source TEM Communities

HyperSpy

One of the largest open-source TEM data analysis communities.

Focus:

  • EDS analysis
  • EELS analysis
  • 4D-STEM
  • Spectrum imaging
  • Machine learning workflows

Community:

  • Academic researchers
  • Electron microscopy software developers
  • Materials scientists

Why it matters:

  • Widely used in universities
  • Strong GitHub ecosystem
  • Frequently cited in publications

LiberTEM

Focus:

  • High-speed 4D-STEM processing
  • GPU acceleration
  • Real-time analysis

Community:

  • Detector developers
  • Data scientists
  • 4D-STEM researchers

Why it matters:

  • Strong momentum in next-generation microscopy
  • Open architecture

py4DSTEM

Originally developed around the Berkeley 4D-STEM ecosystem.

Focus:

  • 4D-STEM
  • Strain mapping
  • Ptychography
  • Diffraction analysis

Community:

  • Berkeley Lab
  • University of Washington
  • Cornell
  • National labs

Why it matters:

  • One of the fastest growing TEM software projects

Nion Swift

Focus:

  • STEM image acquisition
  • Live instrument control
  • Data management

Community:

  • Nion users
  • STEM developers
  • Open instrument-control enthusiasts

Why it matters:

  • One of the few open-source acquisition platforms

pyTEMlib

Focus:

  • EELS
  • Spectroscopy
  • Data analysis

Community:

  • Spectroscopy researchers
  • Pycroscopy ecosystem

Pycroscopy

Focus:

  • Scientific imaging
  • Electron microscopy
  • Scanning probe microscopy
  • Machine learning

Community:

  • National labs
  • University research groups

Electron Microscopy Python Communities

Scientific Python Forum

Many TEM developers participate here.

Relevant projects:

  • NumPy
  • SciPy
  • Dask
  • HyperSpy
  • LiberTEM

Jupyter Project

Large number of microscopy workflows are distributed as Jupyter notebooks.

Increasingly becoming the default platform for:

  • TEM automation
  • AI workflows
  • Data analysis

Open Instrument Control Communities

Bluesky Project

Focus:

  • Scientific instrument automation
  • Beamlines
  • Microscopes
  • Experiment orchestration

Community:

  • Synchrotrons
  • National labs
  • Automation researchers

For Hummingbird's FEMTUS vision and automated TEM workflows, this is highly relevant.

EPICS Controls System

Focus:

  • Large-scale scientific instrumentation

Community:

  • National laboratories
  • Synchrotrons
  • Advanced instrumentation groups

TEM User Communities

Center for Open Bioimage Analysis (COBA)

Originally life sciences but increasingly includes EM workflows.

Strong AI community.

GitHub Organizations Worth Following

Organization: HyperSpy GitHub

Focus: EELS, EDS

Organization: LiberTEM GitHub

Focus: 4D-STEM

Organization: py4DSTEM GitHub

Focus: Diffraction

Organization: Nion Software GitHub

Focus: Acquisition

Organization: Pycroscopy GitHub

Focus: Scientific imaging

Organization: OpenNCEM GitHub

Focus: National lab tools