Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T12:09:37.987Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

In situ Transmission Electron Microscopy Studies Enabled by Microelectromechanical System Technology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2005

M. Zhang ,
E.A. Olson ,
R.D. Twesten ,
J.G. Wen ,
L.H. Allen ,
I.M. Robertson  and
I. Petrov
M. Zhang
Affiliation:
Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory and Department of Materials Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801
E.A. Olson
Affiliation:
Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory and Department of Materials Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801
R.D. Twesten
Affiliation:
Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory and Department of Materials Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801
J.G. Wen
Affiliation:
Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory and Department of Materials Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801
L.H. Allen
Affiliation:
Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory and Department of Materials Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801
I.M. Robertson
Affiliation:
Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory and Department of Materials Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801
I. Petrov*
Affiliation:
Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory and Department of Materials Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801
*
c)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

We have designed and fabricated a standardized specimen holder that allows the operation of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device inside a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The details of the design and fabrication processes of the holder are presented. The sample loading mechanism is simple and allows reliable electrical contact to eight signal lines on the device. Using a MEMS-based, nanojoule calorimeter, we performed rapid-heating experiments on Bi nanoparticles to demonstrate the functionality of the holder. We show that the heat capacity can be measured simultaneously with TEM observations. The size-dependent melting of Bi nanoparticles was observed simultaneously by nanocalorimetry and selected area diffraction measurements. We believe this approach will open up new experimental pathways to researchers, combining the speed and resolution of transmission electron microscopy with the flexibility, precision, and compactness of MEMS-based sensors and actuators.

Keywords

CalorimetryMicroelectrical mechanical (MEMS)Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 20 , Issue 7 , July 2005 , pp. 1802 - 1807
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1Haque, M.A. and Saif, M.T.A.: In-situ tensile testing of nano-scale specimens in SEM and TEM. Exp. Mech. 42, 123 (2002).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2Ross, F.M.: Growth processes and phase transformations studied by in situ transmission electron microscopy. IBM J. Res. Develop. 44, 489 (2000).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3Wernick, S. and Pinner, R.: The Surface Treatment and Finishing of Aluminum and Its Alloys (Robert Draper, Teddington, U.K., 1964).Google Scholar
4Morkved, T.L., Lopes, W.A., Hahm, J., Sibener, S.J. and Jaeger, H.M.: Silicon nitride membrane substrates for the investigation of local structure in polymer thin films. Polymer 39, 3871 (1998).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5Zhang, M., Efremov, M.Y., Schiettekatte, F., Olson, E.A., Kwan, A.T., Lai, S.L., Wisleder, T., Greene, J.E. and Allen, L.H.: Size-dependent melting point depression of nanostructures: Nanocalorimetric measurements. Phys. Rev. B 62, 10548 (2000).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6Olson, E.A., Efremov, M.Y., Zhang, M., Zhang, Z.S. and Allen, L.H.: The design and operation of a MEMS differential scanning nanocalorimeter for high-speed heat-capacity measurements of ultrathin films. J. Microelectromech. Syst. 12, 355 (2003).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7Efremov, M.Y., Olson, E.A., Zhang, M., Lai, S., Schiettekatte, F., Zhang, Z.S. and Allen, L.H.: Thin-film MEMS differential scanning nanocalorimetry: Heat capacity analysis. Thermochim. Acta 412, 13 (2004).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8Buffat, P. and Borel, J.P.: Size effect on the melting temperature of gold particles. Phys. Rev. A. 13, 2287 (1976).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9Efremov, M.Y., Olson, E.A., Zhang, M., Zhang, Z.S. and Allen, L.H.: Glass transition in ultrathin polymer films: Calorimetric study. Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 085703 (2003).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed