Single-shot dynamic transmission electron microscopy

Abstract

A dynamic transmission electron microscope (DTEM) has been designed and implemented to study structural dynamics in condensed matter systems. The DTEM is a conventional in situ transmission electron microscope (TEM) modified to drive material processes with a nanosecond laser, “pump” pulse and measure it shortly afterward with a 30-ns-long probe pulse of ∼107 electrons. An image with a resolution of <20nm may be obtained with a single pulse, largely eliminating the need to average multiple measurements and enabling the study of unique, irreversible events with nanosecond- and nanometer-scale resolution. Space charge effects, while unavoidable at such a high current, may be kept to reasonable levels by appropriate choices of operating parameters. Applications include the study of phase transformations and defect dynamics at length and time scales difficult to access with any other technique. This single-shot approach is complementary to stroboscopic TEM, which is capable of much higher temporal resolution but is restricted to the study of processes with a very high degree of repeatability.