Instrumentation
Empa's Electron Microscopy Center operates a modern infrastructure of electron microscopy equipment for materials and nano-science. Besides scanning electron microscopes and (scanning) transmission electron microscopes equipped with analytical devices, the center maintains facilities for sample preparation of solid (nano-)materials. For advanced data analysis various software packages, including software for simulations are available.
Transmission Electron Microscopes
![https://carboquant.empa.ch/documents/55933/77782/Titan.jpg/50c7c218-3431-453d-8f74-6114ceac69bd?t=1484313945000](https://carboquant.empa.ch/documents/55933/77782/Titan.jpg/50c7c218-3431-453d-8f74-6114ceac69bd?t=1484313945000)
FEI Titan Themis
The Titan Themis, operational at 80 and 300 kV, provides highest resolution imaging capabilties for analytics and particularly for in-situ and in-operando measuremetns. The microscope is equipped with a hexapole-type aberration corrector for scanning transmission electron microscope (CEOS DCOR) and a SuperEDX system. In situ sample holders from Protochips can be used for liquid cell measurements and thermo-electrical measurements. A fast gun valve provides additional safety for in situ experiments.
Main features & techniques:
- High-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (<60 pm)
- SuperEDX system
- CEFID EELS / EFTEM system
- Differential phase contrast imaging (DPC and iDPC)
- Tomography (STEM & TEM)
- Electrostatic biprism for electron holography
- Lorentz lens
- FEI CETA 2 camera (16 Mpixel, up to 40 fps at full resolution)
- Protochips Poseidon holder (dual flow and heating)
- Protochips Fusion 500 holder (double-tilt)
Installed: 2016
![https://carboquant.empa.ch/documents/55933/77782/JEM2200fs.jpg/c4613849-fcd7-40cc-943b-03e65e2add3d?t=1484314532000](https://carboquant.empa.ch/documents/55933/77782/JEM2200fs.jpg/c4613849-fcd7-40cc-943b-03e65e2add3d?t=1484314532000)
JEOL JEM2200fs
The JEOL JEM 2200fs (scanning) transmission electron microscope is an analytical multifunctional microscope equipped with a Schottky field-emission electron source. It features an Omega-type electron energy filter, an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer, a scanning unit and a variety of different sample holders.
Main features & techniques:
- High-resolution imaging in TEM and STEM mode (~2 Å resolution)
- Analytics: EELS, EFTEM & EDX
- Tomography
- Holders: tomography, liquid-nitrogen, heating, quartet, Be-single and Be-double tilt
- Gatan DigiScan II
Installed: 2009
![https://carboquant.empa.ch/documents/55933/77782/Titan_Themis_200_G3_resized.jpg/ecdc75f9-f4ba-4f6e-880a-439fe2b88fb0?t=1612873972000](https://carboquant.empa.ch/documents/55933/77782/Titan_Themis_200_G3_resized.jpg/ecdc75f9-f4ba-4f6e-880a-439fe2b88fb0?t=1612873972000)
Titan Themis 200 G3
The Thermo Scientific Titan Themis 200 G3 offers advanced TEM, STEM and electron diffraction capabilities. Outfitted with a state-of-the-art probe corrector, a resolution of <80 pm can be reached in STEM mode. A SuperX detector allows for spatially resolved EDX mappings down to the atomic scale. Further capabilities of the instrument include high-speed TEM movie acquisition, tomography and in situ heating.
Main features & techniques:
JEOL ARM200F
Owned by and installed at IBM Zurich, staff of Empa's Electron Microscopy Center jointly operates this double-aberration-corrected (scanning) transmission electron microscope with a team of IBM scientists. The microscope is installed in a noise-free lab of the Binning-Rohrer Nanotechnology Center and is equipped with a cold field-emission electron source, a high-efficiency EDX detector, a electron energy-loss spectrometer and two correctors for the spherical aberration, one for the scanning transmission mode and one for the broad-beam transmission mode.
Main features & techniques:
- High-resolution imaging in TEM and STEM mode (<1 Å resolution)
- Operational at 80, 120 and 200 kV
- Analytics: EELS & EDX
- Gatan DigiScan II
Installed: 2014
Scanning Electron Microscopes
![https://carboquant.empa.ch/documents/55933/77782/ZEISS_Gemini.jpg/5bbeee0d-e552-4401-92fc-29155fdb876f?t=1654178666000](https://carboquant.empa.ch/documents/55933/77782/ZEISS_Gemini.jpg/5bbeee0d-e552-4401-92fc-29155fdb876f?t=1654178666000)
ZEISS GeminiSEM 460
The Zeiss GeminiSEM 460 is a multifunctional field emission scanning electron microscope with a double condenser system for high-resolution imaging and high-efficiency analytics. The ZEISS GeminiSEM 460 is jointly owned and operated with EAWAG.
Main features:
- High vacuum mode (HV: <10-2 Pa), standard variable pressure mode (VP: 5 - 60 Pa) and enhanced VP mode (NanoVP: 5 - 40 Pa)
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Variety of detectors for signal optimization (SE, Inlens-SE, BSD and EsB detector)
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Oxford EDS system (Ulitm Max 170 and Ulitm Extreme)
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Oxford EBSD system (Symmetry S2)
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STEM mode
Installed: 2022
![https://carboquant.empa.ch/documents/55933/77782/Quanta.jpg/a242763e-72cf-46f8-b78e-ba9b5ed38bb5?t=1507293346000](https://carboquant.empa.ch/documents/55933/77782/Quanta.jpg/a242763e-72cf-46f8-b78e-ba9b5ed38bb5?t=1507293346000)
FEI Quanta 650 FEG ESEM
The FEI Quanta 650 is a multifunctional field-emission scanning electron microscopes with environmental SEM capabilities. It features:
- High-vacuum, low-vacuum and environmental (<26 mbar H2O) modi
- Peltier/heating sample stage
- Thermo Scientific Noran System 7 (UltraDry EDS Detector)
- Tensile stage
- Variety of detectors for signal optimization
Installed: 2017
Sample Preparation
- Ion mill Fischione Model 1050 TEM Mill
- Plasma cleaner Fischione 1020
- Dimple grinder
- Tripod polisher
- Manual mechanical polisher Struers
- Automatic mechanical polisher: Allied MultiPrep 8"
- Microtome Ultracut
- Sputterer Leica ACE600
- Carbon coater Safematic CCU-010
- Electropolisher Struers TenuPol-5
- Diamond-wire saw
Data Analysis and Simulations
Aside from various computer codes developed by staff of the Electron Microscopy Center, which is used for the analysis and simulation for in-line electron holography, scanning transmission electron micrographs and low-loss electron energy-loss spectroscopy, the following commercially available computer programs are available:
- Simulation and data analysis: MacTempas & CrystalKit from Total Resolution
- Simulations (TEM, STEM, Diffraction): xHREM from HREM Research
- Simulation (TEM, STEM, Diffraction): JEMS
- EELS simulation: Wien2K, FEFF8
- First-principles programs for EELS simulations: Wien2k & FEFF8
- Data analysis: Geometrical Phase Analysis and SmartAlign from HREM Research
- Tomographic reconstruction: Inspect 3D from FEI and TomoJ running on ImageJ
- 3D visualization and volume analysis: Amira
- Focal series reconstruction: TrueImage from FEI and MacTempas from Total Resolution
- Other software tools for microscopy data: ImageJ, Gatan Digital Micrograph, FEI TEM Image & Analysis (TIA), FEI Velox, Bruker ESPRIT, Oxford INCA
- Various "home"-written skripts and programs are used for data analysis and simulations (based on Fortran77, Mathematica, MATLAB etc.)