Description

HRTEM stands for High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy, a technique that allows the observation of the atomic structure of materials. An instrument that can perform HRTEM is the Tecnai F20, a 200kV field emission gun (FEG) high resolution and analytical TEM/STEM. It is produced by FEI, a company based in the USA. The Tecnai F20 has several features that make it suitable for analytical work, such as :

An X-TWIN objective lens that allows a large tilt range for different sample holders
A monochromator that improves the energy resolution for electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS)
A Gatan imaging filter (GIF) that enables energy-filtered imaging and EELS spectroscopy
Two CCD cameras that provide a wide field of view and high magnification

The Tecnai F20 is ideal for applications that require high coherency, high brightness, or small focused probes. It can also perform correlated imaging and analytical methods in both TEM and STEM modes.

HRTEM is a powerful technique that allows for direct imaging of the atomic structure of materials¹. It has many applications in various fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology, such as:

Studying the crystal structure, defects, interfaces, and strain of semiconductors, metals, nanoparticles, and carbon-based materials
Characterizing the morphology, size, shape, and orientation of nanomaterials and nanostructures
Investigating the chemical composition, bonding, and electronic properties of materials using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and energy-filtered imaging
Performing electron tomography to reconstruct the 3D structure of nanoscale objects

HRTEM is an essential tool for nano-electronic materials research, as it can reveal the atomic-scale features and phenomena that affect the performance and functionality of devices. For example, HRTEM can be used to:

Analyze the strain distribution and dislocation density in silicon-based transistors and quantum dots
Visualize the atomic arrangement and defects in graphene, carbon nanotubes, and other 2D materials
Identify the crystal phases and orientations of metal nanoparticles and nanowires for catalysis and sensing applications⁴
Monitor the growth, doping, and alloying of semiconductor nanocrystals and quantum dots

HRTEM is a versatile and advanced technique that can provide valuable insights into the structure and properties of nanomaterials and nanostructures. It can help researchers to understand the relationship between the atomic-scale features and the macroscopic behavior of materials, and to design and optimize novel nano-electronic devices.