A Cs-corrected Environmental Transmission Electron Microscope for characterizing the processes and characteristics of nanomaterials in real environments
Abstract: To analyze atomic arrangements on the surfaces and interfaces of solids in gases, especially during catalytic reactions, we have recently introduced a high-resolution environmental transmission electron microscope (ETEM) with the Cs corrector of the objective lens in Osaka University. The ETEM is equipped with an environmental cell (E-cell) for higher resolution observation of specimens under higher gas pressures. We can observe specimens under stable and reproducible gas environments by the well-designed evacuation system. The Cs-corrected ETEM can be applied for characterizing 1) the properties of nanomaterials in real environments such as metal nanoparticle catalysts in reaction gases and 2) the synthesis processes of nanomaterials such as the chemical vapor growth of carbon nanotubes in gases at high temperature. The ETEM can be used as a standard scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) as well as a standard transmission electron microscope (TEM) with the Cs corrector of the objective lens after quick evacuation of gases from the E-cell.
Key words: Environmental transmission electron microscopy, aberration correction, catalysis science, carbon nanotube, platinum catalysis