Insitu
In-situ electron microscopy describes a family of techniques used to investigate the responses of materials to various physical or chemical stimuli while within the electron microscope. In-situ analysis offers several advantages over traditional retrospective characterisation, the most important of which is the ability to observe and record events in real time. These events may be structural in nature (described by morphology or crystallinity changes), or chemical effects (described by elemental composition, distribution or bonding). The electron microscope is the ideal tool for observing these events, with the spatial resolution and spectroscopic analytics (such as EDX, EBSD & EELS) to probe structural and chemical changes under such controlled stimuli.
The Advanced Microscopy Laboratory has a suite of complimentary in-situ capabilities across several platforms SEM, FIB and S/TEM.
SEM: ZEISS Ultra, ZEISS Supra
- Thermal: Kammrath Weiss heating module. Capable of controlled specimen heating from RT to 1,050°C.
- Electrical biasing: Kleindiek micromanipulators with two and four probe electrical characterisation, gating and biasing.
Dual FIB/SEM: ZEISS Auriga
- Electrical biasing: Kleindiek micromanipulators with two and four probe electrical characterisation, gating and biasing.
- Nano-manipulation & contacting: Kleindiek roof mounted micromanipulator for controlled specimen orientation. Pt and W deposition for in-situ material contacting and probing.
- Thermal: DENS wildfire holder. MEMS based heating system with 4-point feedback controlled heating from RT to 1,300 °C. Temperature ramp and quench rates of 200 °C sec-1
- Electrical biasing: DENS wildfire holder coupled with low-noise biasing junction box. Two and four point electrical characterisation.
- Cryogenic: Fischione cryo holder. Operates at RT and below -175°C
- In-Liquid: Hummingbird holder
S/TEM: FEI Titan S/TEM, NION UltraSTEM