Cover StoryTransmission Electron Microscope: “Spectra Ultra S/TEM”

The Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) is an instrument that irradiates an ultra-thin sample, only a few tens of nanometers thick, with an electron beam of high acceleration voltage to observe its atomic arrangements and reveal the crystal structure by detecting transmitted electrons. The latest model, the “Spectra Ultra S/TEM,” excels at switching acceleration voltages and stabilizing the lens and sample stage within five minutes. Many TEMs use Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) detectors, to identify elemental distributions based on the energy of characteristic X-rays. These detectors’ performance is defined by the “solid angle of detection.” The Spectra Ultra S/TEM achieves an unprecedented solid angle of 4 srad, more than double the previous record of 1.9 srad in conventional TEMs. This allows for high-resolution elemental mapping in a less time and enable measurements of electron beam-sensitive materials. From 2024, NIMS is offering the Spectra Ultra S/TEM for shared use among its researchers (Research Highlights 02).

Photography by Michito Ishikawa