Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy: Aqueous Suspensions of Nanoscale Objects

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 1542-1553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan D. Burrows ◽  
R. Lee Penn

AbstractDirect imaging of nanoscale objects suspended in liquid media can be accomplished using cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). Cryo-TEM has been used with particular success in microbiology and other biological fields. Samples are prepared by plunging a thin film of sample into an appropriate cryogen, which essentially produces a snapshot of the suspended objects in their liquid medium. With successful sample preparation, cryo-TEM images can facilitate elucidation of aggregation and self-assembly, as well as provide detailed information about cells and viruses. This work provides an explanation of sample preparation, detailed examples of the many artifacts found in cryo-TEM of aqueous samples, and other key considerations for successful cryo-TEM imaging.

Soft Matter ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 3096-3104
Author(s):  
Valeria Castelletto ◽  
Jani Seitsonen ◽  
Janne Ruokolainen ◽  
Ian W. Hamley

A designed surfactant-like peptide is shown, using a combination of cryogenic-transmission electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering, to have remarkable pH-dependent self-assembly properties.


2011 ◽  
Vol 194 (2-4) ◽  
pp. 166-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping-An Fang ◽  
Henry C. Margolis ◽  
James F. Conway ◽  
James P. Simmer ◽  
Gary H. Dickinson ◽  
...  

2004 ◽  
Vol 818 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Torres-Castro

AbstractNi nanoparticles where obtained from a Ni sample milled with Ar ions by using a Gatan precision ion polishing system, normally used for Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) sample preparation. Deposition of Ni nanoparticles was performed over two different surfaces: on a double sided carbon tape and, on a Cu grid covered with collodion film. A continuos film of Ni was characterized, over the carbon tape by SEM and EDAX techniques. The last surface was analysed by TEM. In both cases, a thin film composed of Ni nanoparticles, was founded and result obtained by TEM, show a nanoparticle diameter of about 4 nm.


Author(s):  
Benjamin F. Trump ◽  
Irene K. Berezesky ◽  
Raymond T. Jones

The role of electron microscopy and associated techniques is assured in diagnostic pathology. At the present time, most of the progress has been made on tissues examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and correlated with light microscopy (LM) and by cytochemistry using both plastic and paraffin-embedded materials. As mentioned elsewhere in this symposium, this has revolutionized many fields of pathology including diagnostic, anatomic and clinical pathology. It began with the kidney; however, it has now been extended to most other organ systems and to tumor diagnosis in general. The results of the past few years tend to indicate the future directions and needs of this expanding field. Now, in addition to routine EM, pathologists have access to the many newly developed methods and instruments mentioned below which should aid considerably not only in diagnostic pathology but in investigative pathology as well.


Author(s):  
T. P. Nolan

Thin film magnetic media are being used as low cost, high density forms of information storage. The development of this technology requires the study, at the sub-micron level, of morphological, crystallographic, and magnetic properties, throughout the depth of the deposited films. As the microstructure becomes increasingly fine, widi grain sizes approaching 100Å, the unique characterization capabilities of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have become indispensable to the analysis of such thin film magnetic media.Films were deposited at 225°C, on two NiP plated Al substrates, one polished, and one circumferentially textured with a mean roughness of 55Å. Three layers, a 750Å chromium underlayer, a 600Å layer of magnetic alloy of composition Co84Cr14Ta2, and a 300Å amorphous carbon overcoat were then sputter deposited using a dc magnetron system at a power of 1kW, in a chamber evacuated below 10-6 torr and filled to 12μm Ar pressure. The textured medium is presently used in industry owing to its high coercivity, Hc, and relatively low noise. One important feature is that the coercivity in the circumferential read/write direction is significandy higher than that in the radial direction.


Author(s):  
Ching Shan Sung ◽  
Hsiu Ting Lee ◽  
Jian Shing Luo

Abstract Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) plays an important role in the structural analysis and characterization of materials for process evaluation and failure analysis in the integrated circuit (IC) industry as device shrinkage continues. It is well known that a high quality TEM sample is one of the keys which enables to facilitate successful TEM analysis. This paper demonstrates a few examples to show the tricks on positioning, protection deposition, sample dicing, and focused ion beam milling of the TEM sample preparation for advanced DRAMs. The micro-structures of the devices and samples architectures were observed by using cross sectional transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and optical microscopy. Following these tricks can help readers to prepare TEM samples with higher quality and efficiency.


Author(s):  
Chin Kai Liu ◽  
Chi Jen. Chen ◽  
Jeh Yan.Chiou ◽  
David Su

Abstract Focused ion beam (FIB) has become a useful tool in the Integrated Circuit (IC) industry, It is playing an important role in Failure Analysis (FA), circuit repair and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) specimen preparation. In particular, preparation of TEM samples using FIB has become popular within the last ten years [1]; the progress in this field is well documented. Given the usefulness of FIB, “Artifact” however is a very sensitive issue in TEM inspections. The ability to identify those artifacts in TEM analysis is an important as to understanding the significance of pictures In this paper, we will describe how to measure the damages introduced by FIB sample preparation and introduce a better way to prevent such kind of artifacts.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bing Han ◽  
Yucheng Zou ◽  
Zhen Zhang ◽  
Xuming Yang ◽  
Xiaobo Shi ◽  
...  

AbstractCryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) is a valuable tool recently proposed to investigate battery electrodes. Despite being employed for Li-based battery materials, cryo-TEM measurements for Na-based electrochemical energy storage systems are not commonly reported. In particular, elucidating the chemical and morphological behavior of the Na-metal electrode in contact with a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte solution could provide useful insights that may lead to a better understanding of metal cells during operation. Here, using cryo-TEM, we investigate the effect of fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) additive on the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) structure of a Na-metal electrode. Without FEC, the NaPF6-containing carbonate-based electrolyte reacts with the metal electrode to produce an unstable SEI, rich in Na2CO3 and Na3PO4, which constantly consumes the sodium reservoir of the cell during cycling. When FEC is used, the Na-metal electrode forms a multilayer SEI structure comprising an outer NaF-rich amorphous phase and an inner Na3PO4 phase. This layered structure stabilizes the SEI and prevents further reactions between the electrolyte and the Na metal.


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