Detecting dynamic responses of materials and devices under an alternating electric potential by phase-locked transmission electron microscopy.

An apparatus is developed for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to acquire image and spectral data, such as TEM images, electron holograms, and electron energy loss spectra, synchronized with the measurement of the dynamic response of a specimen under an applied alternating current (AC) electric potential (voltage, denoted V). From a V of frequency f, a shutter pulse signal is generated to open and close a pre-specimen shutter in a base TEM apparatus. A pulse is generated per V cycle from the targeted phase Φ to Φ +∆Φ with phase width ∆Φ (∆Φ <2π).

A MEMS-based heating holder for the direct imaging of simultaneous in-situ heating and biasing experiments in scanning/transmission electron microscopes.

The introduction of scanning/transmission electron microscopes (S/TEM) with sub-Angstrom resolution as well as fast and sensitive detection solutions support direct observation of dynamic phenomena in-situ at the atomic scale. Thereby, in-situ specimen holders play a crucial role: accurate control of the applied in-situ stimulus on the nanostructure combined with the overall system stability to assure atomic resolution are paramount for a successful in-situ S/TEM experiment. For those reasons, MEMS-based TEM sample holders are becoming one of the preferred choices, also enabling a high precision in measurements of the in-situ parameter for more reproducible data.

Pulsed laser deposition chamber for in situ X-ray diffraction.

A sample chamber has been constructed for studying the growth of thin films by pulsed laser deposition in situ with surface X-ray diffraction. The achievable temperature ranges from room temperature to 1073 K in a controlled oxygen environment. The partial pressure of the oxygen background gas covers the range from 0.