Micro-fabricated channel with ultra-thin yet ultra-strong windows enables electron microscopy under 4-bar pressure

T Alan, T Yokosawa, J Gaspar, G Pandraud, O Paul, JF Creemer, PM Sarro, HW Zandbergen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

29 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of (de-)hydrogenation reactions is crucial to characterize efficiency of hydrogen storage materials. The nanoreactor, a micromachined channel with 15-nm-thick windows, effectively confines the gas flow to an electron-transparent chamber during TEM of reactions. Realistic experiments require very high pressures to be sustained by the device. Nanomechanical bulge tests and simulations show that due to a very strong size effect, ultra-thin device components can reliably withstand tensile stresses as high as 19.5¿GPa enabling high pressure operation. We use the device to characterize Pd particles under a 4-bar H2 pressure within the ultra-high-vacuum of the TEM
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-4
Number of pages4
JournalApplied Physics Letters
Volume100
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

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