A method of using a Transmission Charged Particle Microscope comprising: A specimen holder, for holding a specimen; A source, for producing a beam of charged particles; An illuminator, for directing said beam along an optical axis so as to irradiate the specimen, the illuminator comprising: a monochromator, which is configured to produce an output beam with a given energy spread ?E0; and a condenser lens assembly; An imaging system, for receiving a flux of charged particles transmitted through the specimen and directing it onto a sensing device; A controller, for controlling at least some operational aspects of the microscope, comprising the following steps: In a first use session, selecting at least one of: (a) an excitation of a first lens of said condenser lens assembly; (b) a width of a condenser aperture downstream of said first lens, so as to produce a first width W1and associated first energy spread ?E1of an emerging beam exiting said aperture; In a second use session, selecting at least one of said parameters (a) and (b) so as to produce a second, different width W2and associated second, different energy spread ?E2of said emerging beam.

An analytical cell includes a first substrate and a second substrate each having a through hole extending in a thickness direction thereof. The first substrate and the second substrate are partially overlapped with each other to form an overlapping portion. In the overlapping portion, a solid state joint is formed by solid state bonding of a first solid portion protruding from the first substrate and a second solid portion protruding from the second substrate, whereby the first substrate and the second substrate are spaced from each other by a predetermined distance, and joined together in a state where the first substrate and the second substrate are positioned to form an observation window. At the observation window, the through holes of the first substrate and the second substrate face each other, and an electron beam is transmitted through the observation window.

Systems and methods for transferring a sample from a transmission electron microscope (TEM) column are described herein. In one aspect, a method can include transferring a sample positioned in a holder capsule of a TEM sample holder from a vacuum chamber of a TEM into a load lock of the TEM; filling the load lock with a protecting gas; sealing the holder capsule of the TEM sample holder under the protecting gas; and removing the TEM sample holder from the load lock.

Build material handling unit for a powder module for an apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects, which apparatus is adapted to successively layerwise selectively irradiate and consolidate layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, wherein the build material handling unit is coupled or can be coupled with a powder module, wherein the build material handling unit is adapted to level and/or compact a volume of build material arranged inside a powder chamber of the powder module by controlling the gas pressure inside the powder chamber.

Systems and methods for preparing a nanofluidic LCTEM cell are provided. An exemplary method includes coating a photoresist layer onto a top surface of a silicon nitride substrate; etching channels into the photoresist layer; depositing calcite into the etched channels; removing the photoresist; placing the cell on a holder; connecting a first end of an inlet line to the cell; connecting a second end of the inlet line to an ultrasound transducer configured to generate nanobubbles; and connecting an outlet line to the cell.

An apparatus and a method for measuring and monitoring the properties of a fluid, for example, pressure, temperature, and chemical properties, within a sample holder for an electron microscope. The apparatus includes at least one fiber optic sensor used for measuring temperature and/or pressure and/or pH positioned in proximity of the sample.

A heating device having a heating element patterned into a robust MEMs substrate, wherein the heating element is electrically isolated from a fluid reservoir or bulk conductive sample, but close enough in proximity to an imagable window/area having the fluid or sample thereon, such that the sample is heated through conduction. The heating device can be used in a microscope sample holder, e.g., for SEM, TEM, STEM, X-ray synchrotron, scanning probe microscopy, and optical microscopy.

In order to observe a water-containing sample with excellent convenience under an air atmosphere or a gas atmosphere, or under a desired pressure, in the present invention, there is provided an observation support unit for observation by irradiating the sample disposed in a non-vacuum space separated by a diaphragm from an inner space of a charged particle optical lens barrel that generates a charged particle beam, with the charged particle beam. The observation support unit includes a main body portion for covering a hole portion that forms an observation region where the sample is observed, and the sample, and the observation support unit is directly mounted between the sample and the diaphragm, that is, on the sample.

A sample chip for electron microscope includes a first substrate having a film layer, a buffer layer, and a body layer, a spacing layer positioned below the first substrate, and a second substrate positioned below the spacing layer. The buffer layer is positioned on the film layer and has a buffer opening corresponding to an area of the film layer, the body layer is positioned on the buffer layer and has a body opening corresponding to the buffer opening of the buffer layer to expose the area of the film layer corresponding to the buffer opening, the body layer has a thickness of 10 m-800 m, and etching properties of the film layer, the buffer layer, and the body layer are different. A specimen accommodating space is defined in the spacing layer to correspond to the area of the film layer corresponding to the buffer opening.

A sample collection device includes two substrates and a spacer. The two substrates are disposed oppositely. Each substrate has a first surface, a second surface opposing to the first surface, a first recess and at least one second recess. The two substrates are arranged with the first surfaces facing each other, and the first and second recesses are respectively located on each first surface. The first recesses of the substrates jointly form a first channel, and the second recesses of the substrates jointly form a second channel connected to the outside of the sample collection device. The first channel and the second channel are interconnected. The spacer is disposed between the two first surfaces for bonding and fixing the two substrates. A sample containing space is formed between the two substrates and the spacer. The sample containing space includes the first chancel and the second channel. In addition, a manufacturing method of the sample collection device is also provided.