Development of a technique for high resolution electron microscopic observation of nano-materials at elevated temperatures.

A technique for high resolution transmission electron microscopic (TEM) observation of nano-materials at very high temperatures has been developed. A spirally wound tungsten wire, normally used as the heating element of a high resolution-high temperature-specimen heating holder, was coated with a thin carbon film and the carbon film was used as the substrate of nanometer-sized specimen. The carbon film was securely self-adhered on the heater and the form of the carbon film remained unchanged until the tungsten heater is heated to around 1173 K. Temperature distribution on the carbon film has been measured by observing the sublimation of ZnS particles. Behavior of gold atoms on a surface of gold nano-particles dispersed on the carbon film has been clearly observed at 773 K in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM).