Grids for Applications in High-Temperature High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy

Abstract

New TEM grids coated with ultrathin amorphous Al2O3 films have been developed using atomic layer deposition technique. The amorphous Al2O3 films can withstand temperatures over 600∘C in air and 900∘C in vacuum when the thickness of the Al2O3 film is 2 nm, and up to 1000∘C in air when the thickness is 25 nm, which makes heating TEM grids with nanoparticles up to 1000∘C in air and immediate TEM observation without interrupting the nanoparticles possible. Such coated TEM grids are very much desired for applications in high-temperature high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.