High-speed in situ transmission electron microscopy studies of laser-based materials processing.
The dynamic transmission electron microscope (DTEM) at INRS is one of only a few electron microscopes in the world with the capability to capture nanosecond snapshots of irreversible transformations in nanomaterials. The research staff specializes in designing, carrying out and analyzing time-resolved in situ TEM experiments. Movie-mode, time-resolved DTEM imaging can capture a brief set of images with 20 nanosecond time resolution and 20 MHz frame rate of triggered irreversible events.
The primary focus is on the study of the dynamics associated with laser-based processing and materials fabrication. Experiments involving cooling, applying heat and electrical bias are also possible.
These unique capabilities make this facility well suited to conduct advanced studies in the areas of additive manufacturing, electronic device fabrication and materials processing.
Measurement capabilities include transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging, selected area electron diffraction (SAED), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and energy-filtered imaging (EFTEM).
- Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization of nanomaterials and thin films
- Focused ion beam (FIB) sample preparation
- Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS)
- In situ heating TEM characterization of nanomaterials and thin films
- Time-resolved measurements provided through collaborative projects
- Automotive
- Defence and security industries
- Energy
- Manufacturing and processing
Specialized labs and equipment
| Equipment | Function |
|---|---|
| JEOL-IDES Movie-Mode Dynamic Transmission Electron Microscope (MM-DTEM): modified JEOL 2100 Plus TEM with Gatan Imaging Filter (GIF) | High-resolution imaging and advanced spectroscopic analysis of materials. The GIF enables electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and energy-filtered imaging, providing chemical and electronic information about the sample at the nanoscale. |
| Tescan Lyra 3 dual-beam focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) system | High precision nanoengineering, imaging, and analysis. |
| Northrup Grumman Nd:YAG Nanosecond Laser | Excitation laser (11ns, 1064nm and 532 nm, <200 mJ/cm2). |
| IDES Movie Mode Laser | High pulse energy UV laser with pulse shape control. |
| Protochips Adore sample holder | Specialized in situ TEM holder system designed for advanced heating and electrical characterization of nanoscale materials. |
Private and public sector research partners
- National Research Council Canada