Nanoscale Multimodal Analysis of Sensitive Nanomaterials by Monochromated STEM-EELS in Low-Dose and Cryogenic Conditions.

Scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with electron energy loss spectroscopy (STEM-EELS) provides spatially resolved chemical information down to the atomic scale. However, studying radiation-sensitive specimens such as organic-inorganic composites remains extremely challenging. Here, we analyzed metal-organic framework nanoparticles (nanoMOFs) at low-dose (10 e/Å) and liquid nitrogen temperatures, similar to cryo-TEM conditions usually employed for high-resolution imaging of biological specimens.