Meet the Machines: Titan TEM

Our most powerful microscope in use is the Transmission Electron Microscope. It can image with subatomic resolution by shooting a beam of electrons through the sample material, for example this crystalline platinum nanoparticle of 12 nanometer in diameter (image 3).

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While the TEM comes with its own limitations, this instrument enables our group to reveal in situ the morphology, roughness, and characteristics of the materials we work with.
Image 1: The Titan TEM is situated in the subbasement of the institute. A quiet room without vibrations is necessary to acquire good data at very high resolution.
Image 2: Andrew refills the liquid nitrogen of the camera to further reduce thermal vibrations.
Image 3: Nanoparticle showing off its crystal lattice of platinum atoms.