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Atomic-Resolution Cryo-STEM Across Continuously Variable Temperatures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2020

Berit H. Goodge
Affiliation:
School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853, USA Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853, USA
Elisabeth Bianco
Affiliation:
Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853, USA
Noah Schnitzer
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853, USA
Henny W. Zandbergen
Affiliation:
Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2600 GA Delft, The Netherlands HennyZ, 2223 GL Katwijk, The Netherlands
Lena F. Kourkoutis*
Affiliation:
School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853, USA Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853, USA
*
*Author for correspondence: Lena F. Kourkoutis, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Atomic-resolution cryogenic scanning transmission electron microscopy (cryo-STEM) has provided a path to probing the microscopic nature of select low-temperature phases in quantum materials. Expanding cryo-STEM techniques to broadly tunable temperatures will give access to the rich temperature-dependent phase diagrams of these materials. With existing cryo-holders, however, variations in sample temperature significantly disrupt the thermal equilibrium of the system, resulting in large-scale sample drift. The ability to tune the temperature without negative impact on the overall instrument stability is crucial, particularly for high-resolution experiments. Here, we test a new side-entry continuously variable temperature dual-tilt cryo-holder which integrates liquid nitrogen cooling with a 6-pin micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) sample heater to overcome some of these experimental challenges. We measure consistently low drift rates of 0.3–0.4 Å/s and demonstrate atomic-resolution cryo-STEM imaging across a continuously variable temperature range from ~100 K to well above room temperature. We conduct additional drift stability measurements across several commercial sample stages and discuss implications for further developments of ultra-stable, flexible cryo-stages.

Type
Software and Instrumentation
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2020

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