In
Progress
NCEM is continually updating its capabilities with plans and developments for new instrumentation, research, expertise, and outreach to the user community. The most important advance will be the TEAM project. At the same time, other upgrades in instrumentation and technique are underway that will enhance NCEM’s capabilities over the next several years.
The dual-beam Focused Ion Beam (FIB) instrument at NCEM has recently been equipped with 2 new micromanipulators and a custom-built cold stage. Combined with the ability of the FIB to direct-write Pt electrodes, the micromanipulators allow for nanoscale probing and high-resolution electrical measurements of materials such as nanotubes, nanowires and thin films. The cold stage allows for site-specific sample manipulation and sectioning at -140 C. These new additions further extend the capabilities of the FIB instrument from TEM sample preparation to dynamic in-situ projects. For more information contact Andrew Minor.
The first 200kV microscope with a dedicated in-column energy filter and
an Ω-type
monochromator, a Zeiss Libra, was delivered in 2005 and is currently undergoing
acceptance tests. This machine is optimized for quantitative convergent
beam diffraction. For more information, contact Christian
Kisielowski.
A 100kV VG-STEM was installed in 2005 and fitted with a NION Cs corrector.
This instrument will be used for tests of electron optical performance
and environmental stability. For information, contact Quentin Ramasse.
Novel stages for in-situ experiments, tomography, nanoindentation, sample manipulation and specialized experiments such as cathodoluminescence or applied magnetic fields are constantly being developed. These activities are driven by the scientific needs of the in-situ and SPLEEM programs and the TEAM project. For details, contact Andreas Schmid.