2015/10/09 by Maureen J. Lagos, M. J. Lagos, P. C. da Silva +4
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications #Electron and X-Ray Spectroscopy Techniques #FOS: Physical sciences #Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #cond-mat.mtrl-sci
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1510.02690
arxiv created 2015/10/09 · openalex publication_date 2015/10/09 · arxiv updated 2015/10/12 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Nanotechnology research requires the routine use of characterization methods with high spatial resolution. These experiments are rather costly, not only from the point of view of the expensive microscopes, but also considering the need of a rather specialized equipment operator. Here, we describe the construction of an inexpensive and simple device that allows the analysis of nanoparticle in a FEG-SEM; images can be generated at high magnifications (ex. x500.000) and with nanometric resolution. It is based on the acquisition of transmitted electrons annular dark field (TE-ADF) signal; the systems can carry up to 16 TEM samples and, it is compatible with SEM sample exchange air-lock. Performance test have shown the measured ADF signal showed the atomic number and thickness dependence for transition metal nanoparticle about 10 nm in diameter. Also, the signal quality is high enough that the determination of the histogram of size distribution can be performed using a conventional image processing software, for gold particles in the range of 2-10 nm in diameter. The developed ADF device allows a much faster and cheaper high spatial resolution imaging of nanoparticle samples for routine morphological characterization and, provides an invaluable high throughput tool for an efficient sample screening.