Transmission electron microscopy specimen holder for simultaneous in situ heating and electrical resistance measurements

Abstract

A transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimen holder has been developed for the measurement of the electrical resistance of a TEM sample as a function of temperature. A custom TEM heating holder was modified for this purpose. Eight feedthrough wires were passed through the specimen holder; (i) providing current to the heater, (ii) allowing for the measurement of the hot stage temperature, and (iii) enabling the measurement of the electrical resistance of the sample. This configuration creates the opportunity to directly correlate changes in the resistance to microstructural changes as a function of temperature. The working of the holder is demonstrated by studies on a phase transformation in Al–Ge films. In this way, a direct correlation was found between changes in resistance and microstructure as a function of temperature.

In SituCharacterization Methods in Transmission Electron Microscopy

“…The key point of multi-contact holders (see Figure 1.b) is to offer various constraints at the same time on a sample. An example is the use of currents to heat the sample, to measure the temperature and the resistivity of the sample as well (Verheijen et al, 2004;Harris et al, 2011). Such a simple analysis requires at least six independent contacts.…”

“…UV lithography can then be used to design contact pads and e-beam lithography to connect the sample to the pads. Complex designs (as complex as MEMS) can then be drawn with such technology to reach the concept of "in-TEM micro-laboratory" (Verheijen et al, 2004;Harris et al, 2011;Jalabert et al, 2012;Kallesøe et al, 2012). In such a concept, the sample is no longer the object under study alone but both the object and its direct environment.…”