On the state of crystallography at the dawn of the electron microscopy revolution.

PubMed

Higgins, Matthew K; Lea, Susan M

2017-10-01

While protein crystallography has, for many years, been the most used method for structural analysis of macromolecular complexes, remarkable recent advances in high-resolution electron cryo-microscopy led to suggestions that 'the revolution will not be crystallised'. Here we highlight the current success rate, speed and ease of modern crystallographic structure determination and some recent triumphs of both 'classical' crystallography and the use of X-ray free electron lasers. We also outline fundamental differences between structure determination using X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy. We suggest that crystallography will continue to co-exist with electron microscopy as part of an integrated array of methods, allowing structural biologists to focus on fundamental biological questions rather than being constrained by the methods available. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Hybrid fluorescence and electron cryo-microscopy for simultaneous electron and photon imaging.

PubMed

Iijima, Hirofumi; Fukuda, Yoshiyuki; Arai, Yoshihiro; Terakawa, Susumu; Yamamoto, Naoki; Nagayama, Kuniaki

2014-01-01

Integration of fluorescence light and transmission electron microscopy into the same device would represent an important advance in correlative microscopy, which traditionally involves two separate microscopes for imaging. To achieve such integration, the primary technical challenge that must be solved regards how to arrange two objective lenses used for light and electron microscopy in such a manner that they can properly focus on a single specimen. To address this issue, both lateral displacement of the specimen between two lenses and specimen rotation have been proposed. Such movement of the specimen allows sequential collection of two kinds of microscopic images of a single target, but prevents simultaneous imaging. This shortcoming has been made up by using a simple optical device, a reflection mirror. Here, we present an approach toward the versatile integration of fluorescence and electron microscopy for simultaneous imaging. The potential of simultaneous hybrid microscopy was demonstrated by fluorescence and electron sequential imaging of a fluorescent protein expressed in cells and cathodoluminescence imaging of fluorescent beads. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New and unconventional approaches for advancing resolution in biological transmission electron microscopy by improving macromolecular specimen preparation and preservation.

PubMed

Massover, William H

2011-02-01

Resolution in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) now is limited by the properties of specimens, rather than by those of instrumentation. The long-standing difficulties in obtaining truly high-resolution structure from biological macromolecules with TEM demand the development, testing, and application of new ideas and unconventional approaches. This review concisely describes some new concepts and innovative methodologies for TEM that deal with unsolved problems in the preparation and preservation of macromolecular specimens. The selected topics include use of better support films, a more protective multi-component matrix surrounding specimens for cryo-TEM and negative staining, and, several quite different changes in microscopy and micrography that should decrease the effects of electron radiation damage; all these practical approaches are non-traditional, but have promise to advance resolution for specimens of biological macromolecules beyond its present level of 3-10 Å (0.3-1.0 nm). The result of achieving truly high resolution will be a fulfillment of the still unrealized potential of transmission electron microscopy for directly revealing the structure of biological macromolecules down to the atomic level. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Electron microscopy of electromagnetic waveforms.

PubMed

Ryabov, A; Baum, P

2016-07-22

Rapidly changing electromagnetic fields are the basis of almost any photonic or electronic device operation. We report how electron microscopy can measure collective carrier motion and fields with subcycle and subwavelength resolution. A collimated beam of femtosecond electron pulses passes through a metamaterial resonator that is previously excited with a single-cycle electromagnetic pulse. If the probing electrons are shorter in duration than half a field cycle, then time-frozen Lorentz forces distort the images quasi-classically and with subcycle time resolution. A pump-probe sequence reveals in a movie the sample's oscillating electromagnetic field vectors with time, phase, amplitude, and polarization information. This waveform electron microscopy can be used to visualize electrodynamic phenomena in devices as small and fast as available. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Correlative 3D imaging of Whole Mammalian Cells with Light and Electron Microscopy

PubMed Central

Murphy, Gavin E.; Narayan, Kedar; Lowekamp, Bradley C.; Hartnell, Lisa M.; Heymann, Jurgen A. W.; Fu, Jing; Subramaniam, Sriram

2011-01-01

We report methodological advances that extend the current capabilities of ion-abrasion scanning electron microscopy (IA–SEM), also known as focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy, a newly emerging technology for high resolution imaging of large biological specimens in 3D. We establish protocols that enable the routine generation of 3D image stacks of entire plastic-embedded mammalian cells by IA-SEM at resolutions of ~10 to 20 nm at high contrast and with minimal artifacts from the focused ion beam. We build on these advances by describing a detailed approach for carrying out correlative live confocal microscopy and IA–SEM on the same cells. Finally, we demonstrate that by combining correlative imaging with newly developed tools for automated image processing, small 100 nm-sized entities such as HIV-1 or gold beads can be localized in SEM image stacks of whole mammalian cells. We anticipate that these methods will add to the arsenal of tools available for investigating mechanisms underlying host-pathogen interactions, and more generally, the 3D subcellular architecture of mammalian cells and tissues. PMID:21907806

Chemical mapping and quantification at the atomic scale by scanning transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Chu, Ming-Wen; Chen, Cheng Hsuan

2013-06-25

With innovative modern material-growth methods, a broad spectrum of fascinating materials with reduced dimensions-ranging from single-atom catalysts, nanoplasmonic and nanophotonic materials to two-dimensional heterostructural interfaces-is continually emerging and extending the new frontiers of materials research. A persistent central challenge in this grand scientific context has been the detailed characterization of the individual objects in these materials with the highest spatial resolution, a problem prompting the need for experimental techniques that integrate both microscopic and spectroscopic capabilities. To date, several representative microscopy-spectroscopy combinations have become available, such as scanning tunneling microscopy, tip-enhanced scanning optical microscopy, atom probe tomography, scanning transmission X-ray microscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Among these tools, STEM boasts unique chemical and electronic sensitivity at unparalleled resolution. In this Perspective, we elucidate the advances in STEM and chemical mapping applications at the atomic scale by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy with a focus on the ultimate challenge of chemical quantification with atomic accuracy.

Attosecond electron pulses for 4D diffraction and microscopy

PubMed Central

Baum, Peter; Zewail, Ahmed H.

2007-01-01

In this contribution, we consider the advancement of ultrafast electron diffraction and microscopy to cover the attosecond time domain. The concept is centered on the compression of femtosecond electron packets to trains of 15-attosecond pulses by the use of the ponderomotive force in synthesized gratings of optical fields. Such attosecond electron pulses are significantly shorter than those achievable with extreme UV light sources near 25 nm (≈50 eV) and have the potential for applications in the visualization of ultrafast electron dynamics, especially of atomic structures, clusters of atoms, and some materials. PMID:18000040

Surface Diagnostics in Tribology Technology and Advanced Coatings Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miyoshi, Kazuhisa

1999-01-01

This paper discusses the methodologies used for surface property measurement of thin films and coatings, lubricants, and materials in the field of tribology. Surface diagnostic techniques include scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, stylus profilometry, x-ray diffraction, electron diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering, elastic recoil spectroscopy, and tribology examination. Each diagnostic technique provides specific measurement results in its own unique way. In due course it should be possible to coordinate the different pieces of information provided by these diagnostic techniques into a coherent self-consistent description of the surface properties. Examples are given on the nature and character of thin diamond films.

Structure of Wet Specimens in Electron Microscopy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsons, D. F.

1974-01-01

Discussed are past work and recent advances in the use of electron microscopes for viewing structures immersed in gas and liquid. Improved environmental chambers make it possible to examine wet specimens easily. (Author/RH)

Direct imaging detectors for electron microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faruqi, A. R.; McMullan, G.

2018-01-01

Electronic detectors used for imaging in electron microscopy are reviewed in this paper. Much of the detector technology is based on the developments in microelectronics, which have allowed the design of direct detectors with fine pixels, fast readout and which are sufficiently radiation hard for practical use. Detectors included in this review are hybrid pixel detectors, monolithic active pixel sensors based on CMOS technology and pnCCDs, which share one important feature: they are all direct imaging detectors, relying on directly converting energy in a semiconductor. Traditional methods of recording images in the electron microscope such as film and CCDs, are mentioned briefly along with a more detailed description of direct electronic detectors. Many applications benefit from the use of direct electron detectors and a few examples are mentioned in the text. In recent years one of the most dramatic advances in structural biology has been in the deployment of the new backthinned CMOS direct detectors to attain near-atomic resolution molecular structures with electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM). The development of direct detectors, along with a number of other parallel advances, has seen a very significant amount of new information being recorded in the images, which was not previously possible-and this forms the main emphasis of the review.

Diffraction and microscopy with attosecond electron pulse trains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morimoto, Yuya; Baum, Peter

2018-03-01

Attosecond spectroscopy1-7 can resolve electronic processes directly in time, but a movie-like space-time recording is impeded by the too long wavelength ( 100 times larger than atomic distances) or the source-sample entanglement in re-collision techniques8-11. Here we advance attosecond metrology to picometre wavelength and sub-atomic resolution by using free-space electrons instead of higher-harmonic photons1-7 or re-colliding wavepackets8-11. A beam of 70-keV electrons at 4.5-pm de Broglie wavelength is modulated by the electric field of laser cycles into a sequence of electron pulses with sub-optical-cycle duration. Time-resolved diffraction from crystalline silicon reveals a < 10-as delay of Bragg emission and demonstrates the possibility of analytic attosecond-ångström diffraction. Real-space electron microscopy visualizes with sub-light-cycle resolution how an optical wave propagates in space and time. This unification of attosecond science with electron microscopy and diffraction enables space-time imaging of light-driven processes in the entire range of sample morphologies that electron microscopy can access.

Demonstration of bacterial biofilms in culture-negative silicone stent and jones tube.

PubMed

Parsa, Kami; Schaudinn, Christoph; Gorur, Amita; Sedghizadeh, Parish P; Johnson, Thomas; Tse, David T; Costerton, John W

2010-01-01

To demonstrate the presence of bacterial biofilms on a dacryocystorhinostomy silicone stent and a Jones tube. One dacryocystorhinostomy silicone stent and one Jones tube were removed from 2 patients who presented with an infection of their respective nasolacrimal system. Cultures were obtained, and the implants were processed for scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy, advanced microscopic methods that are applicable for detection of uncultivable biofilm organisms. Routine bacterial cultures revealed no growth, but bacterial biofilms on outer and inner surfaces of both implants were confirmed by advanced microscopic techniques. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first article that documents the presence of biofilms on a Crawford stent or a Jones tube on patients who presented with infections involving the nasolacrimal system. Although initial cultures revealed absence of any bacterial growth, confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy documented bacterial colonization. Clinicians should consider the role of biofilms and the limitation of our standard culturing techniques while treating patients with device- or implant-related infections.

Techniques for the Cellular and Subcellular Localization of Endocannabinoid Receptors and Enzymes in the Mammalian Brain.

PubMed

Cristino, Luigia; Imperatore, Roberta; Di Marzo, Vincenzo

2017-01-01

This chapter attempts to piece together knowledge about new advanced microscopy techniques to study the neuroanatomical distribution of endocannabinoid receptors and enzymes at the level of cellular and subcellular structures and organelles in the brain. Techniques ranging from light to electron microscopy up to the new advanced LBM, PALM, and STORM super-resolution microscopy will be discussed in the context of their contribution to define the spatial distribution and organization of receptors and enzymes of the endocannabinoid system (ECS), and to better understand ECS brain functions. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Recent advances in electron tomography: TEM and HAADF-STEM tomography for materials science and semiconductor applications.

PubMed

Kübel, Christian; Voigt, Andreas; Schoenmakers, Remco; Otten, Max; Su, David; Lee, Tan-Chen; Carlsson, Anna; Bradley, John

2005-10-01

Electron tomography is a well-established technique for three-dimensional structure determination of (almost) amorphous specimens in life sciences applications. With the recent advances in nanotechnology and the semiconductor industry, there is also an increasing need for high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) structural information in physical sciences. In this article, we evaluate the capabilities and limitations of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-angle-annular-dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) tomography for the 3D structural characterization of partially crystalline to highly crystalline materials. Our analysis of catalysts, a hydrogen storage material, and different semiconductor devices shows that features with a diameter as small as 1-2 nm can be resolved in three dimensions by electron tomography. For partially crystalline materials with small single crystalline domains, bright-field TEM tomography provides reliable 3D structural information. HAADF-STEM tomography is more versatile and can also be used for high-resolution 3D imaging of highly crystalline materials such as semiconductor devices.

Advanced electron microscopy characterization of tri-layer rare-earth oxide superlattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, Patrick; Disa, Ankit; Ismail-Beigi, Sohrab; Klie, Robert; University of Illinois-Chicago Team; Yale University Team

2015-03-01

Rare-earth nickelates are known to display complex electronic and magnetic behaviors owed to a very localized and sensitive Ni-site atomic and electronic structure. Toward realizing the goal of manipulating of the energetic ordering of Ni d orbitals and 2D conduction, the present work focuses on the experimental characterization of thin film superlattice structures consisting of alternating layers of LaTiO3 and LaNiO3 sandwiched between a dull insulator, LaAlO3. Using advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM)-based methods, properties such as interfacial sharpness, electron transfer, O presence, and local electronic structure can be probed at the atomic scale, and will be discussed at length. By combining both energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and electronic energy loss (EEL) spectroscopies in an aberration-corrected STEM, it is possible to attain energy and spatial resolutions of 0.35 eV and 100 pm, respectively. Focus of the talk will remain not only on the aforementioned properties, but will also include details and parameters of the acquisitions to facilitate future characterization at this level.

In-situ Isotopic Analysis at Nanoscale using Parallel Ion Electron Spectrometry: A Powerful New Paradigm for Correlative Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yedra, Lluís; Eswara, Santhana; Dowsett, David; Wirtz, Tom

2016-06-01

Isotopic analysis is of paramount importance across the entire gamut of scientific research. To advance the frontiers of knowledge, a technique for nanoscale isotopic analysis is indispensable. Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) is a well-established technique for analyzing isotopes, but its spatial-resolution is fundamentally limited. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) is a well-known method for high-resolution imaging down to the atomic scale. However, isotopic analysis in TEM is not possible. Here, we introduce a powerful new paradigm for in-situ correlative microscopy called the Parallel Ion Electron Spectrometry by synergizing SIMS with TEM. We demonstrate this technique by distinguishing lithium carbonate nanoparticles according to the isotopic label of lithium, viz. 6Li and 7Li and imaging them at high-resolution by TEM, adding a new dimension to correlative microscopy.

Dynamic imaging with electron microscopy

ScienceCinema

Campbell, Geoffrey; McKeown, Joe; Santala, Melissa

2018-02-13

Livermore researchers have perfected an electron microscope to study fast-evolving material processes and chemical reactions. By applying engineering, microscopy, and laser expertise to the decades-old technology of electron microscopy, the dynamic transmission electron microscope (DTEM) team has developed a technique that can capture images of phenomena that are both very small and very fast. DTEM uses a precisely timed laser pulse to achieve a short but intense electron beam for imaging. When synchronized with a dynamic event in the microscope's field of view, DTEM allows scientists to record and measure material changes in action. A new movie-mode capability, which earned a 2013 R&D 100 Award from R&D Magazine, uses up to nine laser pulses to sequentially capture fast, irreversible, even one-of-a-kind material changes at the nanometer scale. DTEM projects are advancing basic and applied materials research, including such areas as nanostructure growth, phase transformations, and chemical reactions.

Possibilities and limitations of advanced transmission electron microscopy for carbon-based nanomaterials

PubMed Central

Bittencourt, Carla; Van Tendeloo, Gustaaf

2015-01-01

Summary A major revolution for electron microscopy in the past decade is the introduction of aberration correction, which enables one to increase both the spatial resolution and the energy resolution to the optical limit. Aberration correction has contributed significantly to the imaging at low operating voltages. This is crucial for carbon-based nanomaterials which are sensitive to electron irradiation. The research of carbon nanomaterials and nanohybrids, in particular the fundamental understanding of defects and interfaces, can now be carried out in unprecedented detail by aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy (AC-TEM). This review discusses new possibilities and limits of AC-TEM at low voltage, including the structural imaging at atomic resolution, in three dimensions and spectroscopic investigation of chemistry and bonding. In situ TEM of carbon-based nanomaterials is discussed and illustrated through recent reports with particular emphasis on the underlying physics of interactions between electrons and carbon atoms. PMID:26425406

Investigating Microbe-Mineral Interactions: Recent Advances in X-Ray and Electron Microscopy and Redox-Sensitive Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miot, Jennyfer; Benzerara, Karim; Kappler, Andreas

2014-05-01

Microbe-mineral interactions occur in diverse modern environments, from the deep sea and subsurface rocks to soils and surface aquatic environments. They may have played a central role in the geochemical cycling of major (e.g., C, Fe, Ca, Mn, S, P) and trace (e.g., Ni, Mo, As, Cr) elements over Earth's history. Such interactions include electron transfer at the microbe-mineral interface that left traces in the rock record. Geomicrobiology consists in studying interactions at these organic-mineral interfaces in modern samples and looking for traces of past microbe-mineral interactions recorded in ancient rocks. Specific tools are required to probe these interfaces and to understand the mechanisms of interaction between microbes and minerals from the scale of the biofilm to the nanometer scale. In this review, we focus on recent advances in electron microscopy, in particular in cryoelectron microscopy, and on a panel of electrochemical and synchrotron-based methods that have recently provided new understanding and imaging of the microbe-mineral interface, ultimately opening new fields to be explored.

Harvey Guthrey | NREL

Science.gov Websites

advanced electron-microscopy-based characterization techniques to the study of photovoltaics and energy -storage materials. Research Interests Combining structural and chemical characterization techniques to

EMRinger: side chain–directed model and map validation for 3D cryo-electron microscopy

DOE PAGES

Barad, Benjamin A.; Echols, Nathaniel; Wang, Ray Yu-Ruei; ...

2015-08-17

Advances in high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) require the development of validation metrics to independently assess map quality and model geometry. We report that EMRinger is a tool that assesses the precise fitting of an atomic model into the map during refinement and shows how radiation damage alters scattering from negatively charged amino acids. EMRinger (https://github.com/fraser-lab/EMRinger) will be useful for monitoring progress in resolving and modeling high-resolution features in cryo-EM.

Understanding materials challenges for rechargeable ion batteries with in situ transmission electron microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Yifei; Amine, Khalil; Lu, Jun; Shahbazian-Yassar, Reza

2017-08-01

An in-depth understanding of material behaviours under complex electrochemical environment is critical for the development of advanced materials for the next-generation rechargeable ion batteries. The dynamic conditions inside a working battery had not been intensively explored until the advent of various in situ characterization techniques. Real-time transmission electron microscopy of electrochemical reactions is one of the most significant breakthroughs poised to enable radical shift in our knowledge on how materials behave in the electrochemical environment. This review, therefore, summarizes the scientific discoveries enabled by in situ transmission electron microscopy, and specifically emphasizes the applicability of this technique to address the critical challenges in the rechargeable ion battery electrodes, electrolyte and their interfaces. New electrochemical systems such as lithium-oxygen, lithium-sulfur and sodium ion batteries are included, considering the rapidly increasing application of in situ transmission electron microscopy in these areas. A systematic comparison between lithium ion-based electrochemistry and sodium ion-based electrochemistry is also given in terms of their thermodynamic and kinetic differences. The effect of the electron beam on the validity of in situ observation is also covered. This review concludes by providing a renewed perspective for the future directions of in situ transmission electron microscopy in rechargeable ion batteries.

Understanding materials challenges for rechargeable ion batteries with in situ transmission electron microscopy

PubMed Central

Yuan, Yifei; Amine, Khalil; Lu, Jun; Shahbazian-Yassar, Reza

2017-01-01

An in-depth understanding of material behaviours under complex electrochemical environment is critical for the development of advanced materials for the next-generation rechargeable ion batteries. The dynamic conditions inside a working battery had not been intensively explored until the advent of various in situ characterization techniques. Real-time transmission electron microscopy of electrochemical reactions is one of the most significant breakthroughs poised to enable radical shift in our knowledge on how materials behave in the electrochemical environment. This review, therefore, summarizes the scientific discoveries enabled by in situ transmission electron microscopy, and specifically emphasizes the applicability of this technique to address the critical challenges in the rechargeable ion battery electrodes, electrolyte and their interfaces. New electrochemical systems such as lithium–oxygen, lithium–sulfur and sodium ion batteries are included, considering the rapidly increasing application of in situ transmission electron microscopy in these areas. A systematic comparison between lithium ion-based electrochemistry and sodium ion-based electrochemistry is also given in terms of their thermodynamic and kinetic differences. The effect of the electron beam on the validity of in situ observation is also covered. This review concludes by providing a renewed perspective for the future directions of in situ transmission electron microscopy in rechargeable ion batteries.

Full-scale characterization of UVLED Al(x)Ga(1-x)N nanowires via advanced electron microscopy.

PubMed

Phillips, Patrick J; Carnevale, Santino D; Kumar, Rajan; Myers, Roberto C; Klie, Robert F

2013-06-25

III-Nitride semiconductor heterostructures continue to attract a great deal of attention due to the wide range of wavelengths at which they can emit light, and the subsequent desire to employ them in optoelectronic applications. Recently, a new type of pn-junction which relies on polarization-induced doping has shown promise for use as an ultraviolet light emitting diode (UVLED); nanowire growth of this device has been successfully demonstrated. However, as these devices are still in their infancy, in order to more fully understand their physical and electronic properties, they require a multitude of characterization techniques. Specifically, the present contribution will discuss the application of advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) to AlxGa1-xN UVLED nanowires. In addition to structural data, chemical and electronic properties will also be probed through various spectroscopy techniques, with the focus remaining on practically applying the knowledge gained via STEM to the growth procedures in order to optimize device peformance.

Application of high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy to the characterization of nanoparticles in the environment.

PubMed

Utsunomiya, Satoshi; Ewing, Rodney C

2003-02-15

A major challenge to the development of a fundamental understanding of transport and retardation mechanisms of trace metal contaminants (<10 ppm) is their identification and characterization at the nanoscale. Atomic-scale techniques, such as conventional transmission electron microscopy, although powerful, are limited by the extremely small amounts of material that are examined. However, recent advances in electron microscopy provide a number of new analytical techniques that expand its application in environmental studies, particularly those concerning heavy metals on airborne particulates or water-borne colloids. High-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM), STEM-energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), and energy-filtered TEM (EFTEM) can be effectively used to identify and characterize nanoparticles. The image contrast in HAADF-STEM is strongly correlated to the atomic mass: heavier elements contribute to brighter contrast. Gold nanocrystals in pyrite and uranium nanocrystals in atmospheric aerosols have been identified by HAADF-STEM and STEM-EDX mapping and subsequently characterized by high-resolution TEM (HRTEM). EFTEM was used to identify U and Fe nanocrystals embedded in an aluminosilicate. A rare, As-bearing nanophase, westerveldite (FeAs), was identified by STEM-EDX and HRTEM. The combined use of these techniques greatly expands the effective application of electron microscopy in environmental studies, especially when applied to metals of very low concentrations. This paper describes examples of how these electron microbeam techniques can be used in combination to characterize a low concentration of heavy metals (a few ppm) on nanoscale particles.

A Mobile Nanoscience and Electron Microscopy Outreach Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coffey, Tonya; Kelley, Kyle

2013-03-01

We have established a mobile nanoscience laboratory outreach program in Western NC that puts scanning electron microscopy (SEM) directly in the hands of K-12 students and the general public. There has been a recent push to develop new active learning materials to educate students at all levels about nanoscience and nanotechnology. Previous projects, such as Bugscope, nanoManipulator, or SPM Live! allowed remote access to advanced microscopies. However, placing SEM directly in schools has not often been possible because the cost and steep learning curve of these technologies were prohibitive, making this project quite novel. We have developed new learning modules for a microscopy outreach experience with a tabletop SEM (Hitachi TM3000). We present here an overview of our outreach and results of the assessment of our program to date.

Advanced analytical electron microscopy for alkali-ion batteries

DOE PAGES

Qian, Danna; Ma, Cheng; Meng, Ying Shirley; ...

2015-06-26

Lithium-ion batteries are a leading candidate for electric vehicle and smart grid applications. However, further optimizations of the energy/power density, coulombic efficiency and cycle life are still needed, and this requires a thorough understanding of the dynamic evolution of each component and their synergistic behaviors during battery operation. With the capability of resolving the structure and chemistry at an atomic resolution, advanced analytical transmission electron microscopy (AEM) is an ideal technique for this task. The present review paper focuses on recent contributions of this important technique to the fundamental understanding of the electrochemical processes of battery materials. A detailed reviewmore » of both static (ex situ) and real-time (in situ) studies will be given, and issues that still need to be addressed will be discussed.« less

Recent advances in Lorentz microscopy

DOE PAGES

Phatak, C.; Petford-Long, A. K.; De Graef, M.

2016-01-05

Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (LTEM) has evolved from a qualitative magnetic domain observation technique to a quantitative technique for the determination of the magnetization state of a sample. Here, we describe recent developments in techniques and imaging modes, including the use of spherical aberration correction to improve the spatial resolution of LTEM into the single nanometer range, and novel in situ observation modes. We also review recent advances in the modeling of the wave optical magnetic phase shift as well as in the area of phase reconstruction by means of the Transport of Intensity Equation (TIE) approach, and discuss vectormore » field electron tomography, which has emerged as a powerful tool for the 3D reconstruction of magnetization configurations. Finally, we conclude this review with a brief overview of recent LTEM applications.« less

Attomicroscopy: from femtosecond to attosecond electron microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, Mohammed Th

2018-02-01

In the last decade, the development of ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) and microscopy (UEM) have enabled the imaging of atomic motion in real time and space. These pivotal table-top tools opened the door for a vast range of applications in different areas of science spanning chemistry, physics, materials science, and biology. We first discuss the basic principles and recent advancements, including some of the important applications, of both UED and UEM. Then, we discuss the recent advances in the field that have enhanced the spatial and temporal resolutions, where the latter, is however, still limited to a few hundreds of femtoseconds, preventing the imaging of ultrafast dynamics of matter lasting few tens of femtoseconds. Then, we present our new optical gating approach for generating an isolated 30 fs electron pulse with sufficient intensity to attain a temporal resolution on the same time scale. This achievement allows, for the first time, imaging the electron dynamics of matter. Finally, we demonstrate the feasibility of the optical gating approach to generate an isolated attosecond electron pulse, utilizing our recently demonstrated optical attosecond laser pulse, which paves the way for establishing the field of ‘Attomicroscopy’, ultimately enabling us to image the electron motion in action.

Sub-nanometre resolution imaging of polymer-fullerene photovoltaic blends using energy-filtered scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Masters, Robert C; Pearson, Andrew J; Glen, Tom S; Sasam, Fabian-Cyril; Li, Letian; Dapor, Maurizio; Donald, Athene M; Lidzey, David G; Rodenburg, Cornelia

2015-04-24

The resolution capability of the scanning electron microscope has increased immensely in recent years, and is now within the sub-nanometre range, at least for inorganic materials. An equivalent advance has not yet been achieved for imaging the morphologies of nanostructured organic materials, such as organic photovoltaic blends. Here we show that energy-selective secondary electron detection can be used to obtain high-contrast, material-specific images of an organic photovoltaic blend. We also find that we can differentiate mixed phases from pure material phases in our data. The lateral resolution demonstrated is twice that previously reported from secondary electron imaging. Our results suggest that our energy-filtered scanning electron microscopy approach will be able to make major inroads into the understanding of complex, nano-structured organic materials.

Angularly-selective transmission imaging in a scanning electron microscope.

PubMed

Holm, Jason; Keller, Robert R

2016-08-01

This work presents recent advances in transmission scanning electron microscopy (t-SEM) imaging control capabilities. A modular aperture system and a cantilever-style sample holder that enable comprehensive angular selectivity of forward-scattered electrons are described. When combined with a commercially available solid-state transmission detector having only basic bright-field and dark-field imaging capabilities, the advances described here enable numerous transmission imaging modes. Several examples are provided that demonstrate how contrast arising from diffraction to mass-thickness can be obtained. Unanticipated image contrast at some imaging conditions is also observed and addressed. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Helium ion microscopy and energy selective scanning electron microscopy - two advanced microscopy techniques with complementary applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodenburg, C.; Jepson, M. A. E.; Boden, Stuart A.; Bagnall, Darren M.

2014-06-01

Both scanning electron microscopes (SEM) and helium ion microscopes (HeIM) are based on the same principle of a charged particle beam scanning across the surface and generating secondary electrons (SEs) to form images. However, there is a pronounced difference in the energy spectra of the emitted secondary electrons emitted as result of electron or helium ion impact. We have previously presented evidence that this also translates to differences in the information depth through the analysis of dopant contrast in doped silicon structures in both SEM and HeIM. Here, it is now shown how secondary electron emission spectra (SES) and their relation to depth of origin of SE can be experimentally exploited through the use of energy filtering (EF) in low voltage SEM (LV-SEM) to access bulk information from surfaces covered by damage or contamination layers. From the current understanding of the SES in HeIM it is not expected that EF will be as effective in HeIM but an alternative that can be used for some materials to access bulk information is presented.

Reflections on the value of electron microscopy in the study of heterogeneous catalysts

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Electron microscopy (EM) is arguably the single most powerful method of characterizing heterogeneous catalysts. Irrespective of whether they are bulk and multiphasic, or monophasic and monocrystalline, or nanocluster and even single-atom and on a support, their structures in atomic detail can be visualized in two or three dimensions, thanks to high-resolution instruments, with sub-Ångstrom spatial resolutions. Their topography, tomography, phase-purity, composition, as well as the bonding, and valence-states of their constituent atoms and ions and, in favourable circumstances, the short-range and long-range atomic order and dynamics of the catalytically active sites, can all be retrieved by the panoply of variants of modern EM. The latter embrace electron crystallography, rotation and precession electron diffraction, X-ray emission and high-resolution electron energy-loss spectra (EELS). Aberration-corrected (AC) transmission (TEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) have led to a revolution in structure determination. Environmental EM is already playing an increasing role in catalyst characterization, and new advances, involving special cells for the study of solid catalysts in contact with liquid reactants, have recently been deployed. PMID:28265196

Advanced Electron Microscopy and Micro analytical technique development and application for Irradiated TRISO Coated Particles from the AGR-1 Experiment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Rooyen, Isabella Johanna; Lillo, Thomas Martin; Wen, Haiming

2017-01-01

A series of up to seven irradiation experiments are planned for the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Quantification Program, with irradiation completed at the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for the first experiment (i.e., AGR-1) in November 2009 for an effective 620 full power days. The objective of the AGR-1 experiment was primarily to provide lessons learned on the multi-capsule test train design and to provide early data on fuel performance for use in fuel fabrication process development and post-irradiation safety testing data at high temperatures. This report describes the advanced microscopy and micro-analysismore » results on selected AGR-1 coated particles.« less

On the chemical homogeneity of In xGa 1–xN alloys – Electron microscopy at the edge of technical limits

DOE PAGES

Specht, Petra; Kisielowski, Christian

2016-08-30

Ternary In xGa 1–xN alloys became technologically attractive when p-doping was achieved to produce blue and green light emitting diodes (LED)s. Starting in the mid 1990th, investigations of their chemical homogeneity were driven by the need to understand carrier recombination mechanisms in optical device structures to optimize their performance. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is the technique of choice to complement optical data evaluations, which suggests the coexistence of local carrier recombination mechanisms based on piezoelectric field effects and on indium clustering in the quantum wells of LEDs. We summarize the historic context of homogeneity investigations using electron microscopy techniques thatmore » can principally resolve the question of indium segregation and clustering in In xGa 1–xN alloys if optimal sample preparation and electron dose-controlled imaging techniques are employed together with advanced data evaluation.« less

Frontiers of in situ electron microscopy

DOE PAGES

Zheng, Haimei; Zhu, Yimei; Meng, Shirley Ying

2015-01-01

In situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has become an increasingly important tool for materials characterization. It provides key information on the structural dynamics of a material during transformations and the correlation between structure and properties of materials. With the recent advances in instrumentation, including aberration corrected optics, sample environment control, the sample stage, and fast and sensitive data acquisition, in situ TEM characterization has become more and more powerful. In this article, a brief review of the current status and future opportunities of in situ TEM is included. It also provides an introduction to the six articles covered by inmore » this issue of MRS Bulletin explore the frontiers of in situ electron microscopy, including liquid and gas environmental TEM, dynamic four-dimensional TEM, nanomechanics, ferroelectric domain switching studied by in situ TEM, and state-of-the-art atomic imaging of light elements (i.e., carbon atoms) and individual defects.« less

Mechanical characterization of TiO{sub 2} nanofibers produced by different electrospinning techniques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vahtrus, Mikk; Šutka, Andris; Institute of Silicate Materials, Riga Technical University, P. Valdena 3/7, Riga LV-1048

2015-02-15

In this work TiO{sub 2} nanofibers produced by needle and needleless electrospinning processes from the same precursor were characterized and compared using Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and in situ SEM nanomechanical testing. Phase composition, morphology, Young's modulus and bending strength values were found. Weibull statistics was used to evaluate and compare uniformity of mechanical properties of nanofibers produced by two different methods. It is shown that both methods yield nanofibers with very similar properties. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • TiO{sub 2} nanofibers were produced by needle and needleless electrospinning processes. •more » Structure was studied by Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy methods. • Mechanical properties were measured using advanced in situ SEM cantilevered beam bending technique. • Both methods yield nanofibers with very similar properties.« less

Breaking resolution limits in ultrafast electron diffraction and microscopy.

PubMed

Baum, Peter; Zewail, Ahmed H

2006-10-31

Ultrafast electron microscopy and diffraction are powerful techniques for the study of the time-resolved structures of molecules, materials, and biological systems. Central to these approaches is the use of ultrafast coherent electron packets. The electron pulses typically have an energy of 30 keV for diffraction and 100-200 keV for microscopy, corresponding to speeds of 33-70% of the speed of light. Although the spatial resolution can reach the atomic scale, the temporal resolution is limited by the pulse width and by the difference in group velocities of electrons and the light used to initiate the dynamical change. In this contribution, we introduce the concept of tilted optical pulses into diffraction and imaging techniques and demonstrate the methodology experimentally. These advances allow us to reach limits of time resolution down to regimes of a few femtoseconds and, possibly, attoseconds. With tilted pulses, every part of the sample is excited at precisely the same time as when the electrons arrive at the specimen. Here, this approach is demonstrated for the most unfavorable case of ultrafast crystallography. We also present a method for measuring the duration of electron packets by autocorrelating electron pulses in free space and without streaking, and we discuss the potential of tilting the electron pulses themselves for applications in domains involving nuclear and electron motions.

Ultrafast electron microscopy integrated with a direct electron detection camera.

PubMed

Lee, Young Min; Kim, Young Jae; Kim, Ye-Jin; Kwon, Oh-Hoon

2017-07-01

In the past decade, we have witnessed the rapid growth of the field of ultrafast electron microscopy (UEM), which provides intuitive means to watch atomic and molecular motions of matter. Yet, because of the limited current of the pulsed electron beam resulting from space-charge effects, observations have been mainly made to periodic motions of the crystalline structure of hundreds of nanometers or higher by stroboscopic imaging at high repetition rates. Here, we develop an advanced UEM with robust capabilities for circumventing the present limitations by integrating a direct electron detection camera for the first time which allows for imaging at low repetition rates. This approach is expected to promote UEM to a more powerful platform to visualize molecular and collective motions and dissect fundamental physical, chemical, and materials phenomena in space and time.

Sub-nanometre resolution imaging of polymer–fullerene photovoltaic blends using energy-filtered scanning electron microscopy

PubMed Central

Masters, Robert C.; Pearson, Andrew J.; Glen, Tom S.; Sasam, Fabian-Cyril; Li, Letian; Dapor, Maurizio; Donald, Athene M.; Lidzey, David G.; Rodenburg, Cornelia

2015-01-01

The resolution capability of the scanning electron microscope has increased immensely in recent years, and is now within the sub-nanometre range, at least for inorganic materials. An equivalent advance has not yet been achieved for imaging the morphologies of nanostructured organic materials, such as organic photovoltaic blends. Here we show that energy-selective secondary electron detection can be used to obtain high-contrast, material-specific images of an organic photovoltaic blend. We also find that we can differentiate mixed phases from pure material phases in our data. The lateral resolution demonstrated is twice that previously reported from secondary electron imaging. Our results suggest that our energy-filtered scanning electron microscopy approach will be able to make major inroads into the understanding of complex, nano-structured organic materials. PMID:25906738

Impact of New Camera Technologies on Discoveries in Cell Biology.

PubMed

Stuurman, Nico; Vale, Ronald D

2016-08-01

New technologies can make previously invisible phenomena visible. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the field of light microscopy. Beginning with the observation of "animalcules" by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, when he figured out how to achieve high magnification by shaping lenses, microscopy has advanced to this day by a continued march of discoveries driven by technical innovations. Recent advances in single-molecule-based technologies have achieved unprecedented resolution, and were the basis of the Nobel prize in Chemistry in 2014. In this article, we focus on developments in camera technologies and associated image processing that have been a major driver of technical innovations in light microscopy. We describe five types of developments in camera technology: video-based analog contrast enhancement, charge-coupled devices (CCDs), intensified sensors, electron multiplying gain, and scientific complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor cameras, which, together, have had major impacts in light microscopy. © 2016 Marine Biological Laboratory.

Study of nanoscale structural biology using advanced particle beam microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boseman, Adam J.

This work investigates developmental and structural biology at the nanoscale using current advancements in particle beam microscopy. Typically the examination of micro- and nanoscale features is performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), but in order to decrease surface charging, and increase resolution, an obscuring conductive layer is applied to the sample surface. As magnification increases, this layer begins to limit the ability to identify nanoscale surface structures. A new technology, Helium Ion Microscopy (HIM), is used to examine uncoated surface structures on the cuticle of wild type and mutant fruit flies. Corneal nanostructures observed with HIM are further investigated by FIB/SEM to provide detailed three dimensional information about internal events occurring during early structural development. These techniques are also used to reconstruct a mosquito germarium in order to characterize unknown events in early oogenesis. Findings from these studies, and many more like them, will soon unravel many of the mysteries surrounding the world of developmental biology.

Crystallography of decahedral and icosahedral particles. II - High symmetry orientations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, C. Y.; Yacaman, M. J.; Heinemann, K.

1979-01-01

Based on the exact crystal structure of decahedral and icosahedral particles, high energy electron diffraction patterns and image profiles have been derived for various high symmetry orientations of the particles with respect to the incident beam. These results form a basis for the identification of small metal particle structures with advanced methods of transmission electron microscopy.

Detection of local chemical states of lithium and their spatial mapping by scanning transmission electron microscopy, electron energy-loss spectroscopy and hyperspectral image analysis.

PubMed

Muto, Shunsuke; Tatsumi, Kazuyoshi

2017-02-08

Advancements in the field of renewable energy resources have led to a growing demand for the analysis of light elements at the nanometer scale. Detection of lithium is one of the key issues to be resolved for providing guiding principles for the synthesis of cathode active materials, and degradation analysis after repeated use of those materials. We have reviewed the different techniques currently used for the characterization of light elements such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). In the present study, we have introduced a methodology to detect lithium in solid materials, particularly for cathode active materials used in lithium-ion battery. The chemical states of lithium were isolated and analyzed from the overlapping multiple spectral profiles, using a suite of STEM, EELS and hyperspectral image analysis. The method was successfully applied in the chemical state analyses of hetero-phases near the surface and grain boundary regions of the active material particles formed by chemical reactions between the electrolyte and the active materials. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Multi-scale Observation of Biological Interactions of Nanocarriers: from Nano to Macro

PubMed Central

Jin, Su-Eon; Bae, Jin Woo; Hong, Seungpyo

2010-01-01

Microscopic observations have played a key role in recent advancements in nanotechnology-based biomedical sciences. In particular, multi-scale observation is necessary to fully understand the nano-bio interfaces where a large amount of unprecedented phenomena have been reported. This review describes how to address the physicochemical and biological interactions of nanocarriers within the biological environments using microscopic tools. The imaging techniques are categorized based on the size scale of detection. For observation of the nano-scale biological interactions of nanocarriers, we discuss atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). For the micro to macro-scale (in vitro and in vivo) observation, we focus on confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) as well as in vivo imaging systems such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs), and IVIS®. Additionally, recently developed combined techniques such as AFM-CLSM, correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (CLEM), and SEM-spectroscopy are also discussed. In this review, we describe how each technique helps elucidate certain physicochemical and biological activities of nanocarriers such as dendrimers, polymers, liposomes, and polymeric/inorganic nanoparticles, thus providing a toolbox for bioengineers, pharmaceutical scientists, biologists, and research clinicians. PMID:20232368

Supercritical Fluid Facilitated Growth of Copper and Aluminum Oxide Nanoparticles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Geoffrey L.; Vohs, Jason K.; Brege, Jonathan J.; Fahlman, Bradley D.

2005-01-01

Supercritical fluids (SCFs) possess properties that are intermediate between liquids and gases. The combination of supercritical fluid technology with advanced characterization techniques such as electron microscopy provided a practical and rewarding undergraduate laboratory experiment.

Visualising reacting single atoms under controlled conditions: Advances in atomic resolution in situ Environmental (Scanning) Transmission Electron Microscopy (E(S)TEM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyes, Edward D.; Gai, Pratibha L.

2014-02-01

Advances in atomic resolution Environmental (Scanning) Transmission Electron Microscopy (E(S)TEM) for probing gas-solid catalyst reactions in situ at the atomic level under controlled reaction conditions of gas environment and temperature are described. The recent development of the ESTEM extends the capability of the ETEM by providing the direct visualisation of single atoms and the atomic structure of selected solid state heterogeneous catalysts in their working states in real-time. Atomic resolution E(S)TEM provides a deeper understanding of the dynamic atomic processes at the surface of solids and their mechanisms of operation. The benefits of atomic resolution-E(S)TEM to science and technology include new knowledge leading to improved technological processes with substantial economic benefits, improved healthcare, reductions in energy needs and the management of environmental waste generation. xml:lang="fr"

Microscopy techniques in flavivirus research.

PubMed

Chong, Mun Keat; Chua, Anthony Jin Shun; Tan, Terence Tze Tong; Tan, Suat Hoon; Ng, Mah Lee

2014-04-01

The Flavivirus genus is composed of many medically important viruses that cause high morbidity and mortality, which include Dengue and West Nile viruses. Various molecular and biochemical techniques have been developed in the endeavour to study flaviviruses. However, microscopy techniques still have irreplaceable roles in the identification of novel virus pathogens and characterization of morphological changes in virus-infected cells. Fluorescence microscopy contributes greatly in understanding the fundamental viral protein localizations and virus-host protein interactions during infection. Electron microscopy remains the gold standard for visualizing ultra-structural features of virus particles and infected cells. New imaging techniques and combinatory applications are continuously being developed to push the limit of resolution and extract more quantitative data. Currently, correlative live cell imaging and high resolution three-dimensional imaging have already been achieved through the tandem use of optical and electron microscopy in analyzing biological specimens. Microscopy techniques are also used to measure protein binding affinities and determine the mobility pattern of proteins in cells. This chapter will consolidate on the applications of various well-established microscopy techniques in flavivirus research, and discuss how recently developed microscopy techniques can potentially help advance our understanding in these membrane viruses. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EMHP: an accurate automated hole masking algorithm for single-particle cryo-EM image processing.

PubMed

Berndsen, Zachary; Bowman, Charles; Jang, Haerin; Ward, Andrew B

2017-12-01

The Electron Microscopy Hole Punch (EMHP) is a streamlined suite of tools for quick assessment, sorting and hole masking of electron micrographs. With recent advances in single-particle electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) data processing allowing for the rapid determination of protein structures using a smaller computational footprint, we saw the need for a fast and simple tool for data pre-processing that could run independent of existing high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructures. EMHP provides a data preprocessing platform in a small package that requires minimal python dependencies to function. https://www.bitbucket.org/chazbot/emhp Apache 2.0 License. bowman@scripps.edu. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Imaging single atoms using secondary electrons with an aberration-corrected electron microscope.

PubMed

Zhu, Y; Inada, H; Nakamura, K; Wall, J

2009-10-01

Aberration correction has embarked on a new frontier in electron microscopy by overcoming the limitations of conventional round lenses, providing sub-angstrom-sized probes. However, improvement of spatial resolution using aberration correction so far has been limited to the use of transmitted electrons both in scanning and stationary mode, with an improvement of 20-40% (refs 3-8). In contrast, advances in the spatial resolution of scanning electron microscopes (SEMs), which are by far the most widely used instrument for surface imaging at the micrometre-nanometre scale, have been stagnant, despite several recent efforts. Here, we report a new SEM, with aberration correction, able to image single atoms by detecting electrons emerging from its surface as a result of interaction with the small probe. The spatial resolution achieved represents a fourfold improvement over the best-reported resolution in any SEM (refs 10-12). Furthermore, we can simultaneously probe the sample through its entire thickness with transmitted electrons. This ability is significant because it permits the selective visualization of bulk atoms and surface ones, beyond a traditional two-dimensional projection in transmission electron microscopy. It has the potential to revolutionize the field of microscopy and imaging, thereby opening the door to a wide range of applications, especially when combined with simultaneous nanoprobe spectroscopy.

Helium ion microscopy and ultra-high-resolution scanning electron microscopy analysis of membrane-extracted cells reveals novel characteristics of the cytoskeleton of Giardia intestinalis.

PubMed

Gadelha, Ana Paula Rocha; Benchimol, Marlene; de Souza, Wanderley

2015-06-01

Giardia intestinalis presents a complex microtubular cytoskeleton formed by specialized structures, such as the adhesive disk, four pairs of flagella, the funis and the median body. The ultrastructural organization of the Giardia cytoskeleton has been analyzed using different microscopic techniques, including high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. Recent advances in scanning microscopy technology have opened a new venue for the characterization of cellular structures and include scanning probe microscopy techniques such as ultra-high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (UHRSEM) and helium ion microscopy (HIM). Here, we studied the organization of the cytoskeleton of G. intestinalis trophozoites using UHRSEM and HIM in membrane-extracted cells. The results revealed a number of new cytoskeletal elements associated with the lateral crest and the dorsal surface of the parasite. The fine structure of the banded collar was also observed. The marginal plates were seen linked to a network of filaments, which were continuous with filaments parallel to the main cell axis. Cytoplasmic filaments that supported the internal structures were seen by the first time. Using anti-actin antibody, we observed a labeling in these filamentous structures. Taken together, these data revealed new surface characteristics of the cytoskeleton of G. intestinalis and may contribute to an improved understanding of the structural organization of trophozoites. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Artificially structured thin-film materials and interfaces.

PubMed

Narayanamurti, V

1987-02-27

The ability to artificially structure new materials on an atomic scale by using advanced crystal growth methods such as molecular beam epitaxy and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition has recently led to the observation of unexpected new physical phenomena and to the creation of entirely new classes of devices. In particular, the growth of materials of variable band gap in technologically important semiconductors such as GaAs, InP, and silicon will be reviewed. Recent results of studies of multilayered structures and interfaces based on the use of advanced characterization techniques such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy will be presented.

Advanced microscopy of star-shaped gold nanoparticles and their adsorption-uptake by macrophages

PubMed Central

Plascencia-Villa, Germán; Bahena, Daniel; Rodríguez, Annette R.; Ponce, Arturo; José-Yacamán, Miguel

2013-01-01

Metallic nanoparticles have diverse applications in biomedicine, as diagnostics, image contrast agents, nanosensors and drug delivery systems. Anisotropic metallic nanoparticles possess potential applications in cell imaging and therapy+diagnostics (theranostics), but controlled synthesis and growth of these anisotropic or branched nanostructures has been challenging and usually require use of high concentrations of surfactants. Star-shaped gold nanoparticles were synthesized in high yield through a seed mediated route using HEPES as a precise shape-directing capping agent. Characterization was performed using advanced electron microscopy techniques including atomic resolution TEM, obtaining a detailed characterization of nanostructure and atomic arrangement. Spectroscopy techniques showed that particles have narrow size distribution, monodispersity and high colloidal stability, with absorbance into NIR region and high efficiency for SERS applications. Gold nanostars showed to be biocompatible and efficiently adsorbed and internalized by macrophages, as revealed by advanced FE-SEM and backscattered electron imaging techniques of complete unstained uncoated cells. Additionally, low voltage STEM and X-ray microanalysis revealed the ultra-structural location and confirmed stability of nanoparticles after endocytosis with high spatial resolution. PMID:23443314

An ultrafast electron microscope gun driven by two-photon photoemission from a nanotip cathode

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bormann, Reiner; Strauch, Stefanie; Schäfer, Sascha, E-mail: schaefer@ph4.physik.uni-goettingen.de

We experimentally and numerically investigate the performance of an advanced ultrafast electron source, based on two-photon photoemission from a tungsten needle cathode incorporated in an electron microscope gun geometry. Emission properties are characterized as a function of the electrostatic gun settings, and operating conditions leading to laser-triggered electron beams of very low emittance (below 20 nm mrad) are identified. The results highlight the excellent suitability of optically driven nano-cathodes for the further development of ultrafast transmission electron microscopy.

Breaking resolution limits in ultrafast electron diffraction and microscopy

PubMed Central

Baum, Peter; Zewail, Ahmed H.

2006-01-01

Ultrafast electron microscopy and diffraction are powerful techniques for the study of the time-resolved structures of molecules, materials, and biological systems. Central to these approaches is the use of ultrafast coherent electron packets. The electron pulses typically have an energy of 30 keV for diffraction and 100–200 keV for microscopy, corresponding to speeds of 33–70% of the speed of light. Although the spatial resolution can reach the atomic scale, the temporal resolution is limited by the pulse width and by the difference in group velocities of electrons and the light used to initiate the dynamical change. In this contribution, we introduce the concept of tilted optical pulses into diffraction and imaging techniques and demonstrate the methodology experimentally. These advances allow us to reach limits of time resolution down to regimes of a few femtoseconds and, possibly, attoseconds. With tilted pulses, every part of the sample is excited at precisely the same time as when the electrons arrive at the specimen. Here, this approach is demonstrated for the most unfavorable case of ultrafast crystallography. We also present a method for measuring the duration of electron packets by autocorrelating electron pulses in free space and without streaking, and we discuss the potential of tilting the electron pulses themselves for applications in domains involving nuclear and electron motions. PMID:17056711

Physicochemical characterization and water vapor sorption of organic solution advanced spray-dried inhalable trehalose microparticles and nanoparticles for targeted dry powder pulmonary inhalation delivery.

PubMed

Li, Xiaojian; Mansour, Heidi M

2011-12-01

Novel advanced spray-dried inhalable trehalose microparticulate/nanoparticulate powders with low water content were successfully produced by organic solution advanced spray drying from dilute solution under various spray-drying conditions. Laser diffraction was used to determine the volumetric particle size and size distribution. Particle morphology and surface morphology was imaged and examined by scanning electron microscopy. Hot-stage microscopy was used to visualize the presence/absence of birefringency before and following particle engineering design pharmaceutical processing, as well as phase transition behavior upon heating. Water content in the solid state was quantified by Karl Fisher (KF) coulometric titration. Solid-state phase transitions and degree of molecular order were examined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and powder X-ray diffraction, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy showed a correlation between particle morphology, surface morphology, and spray drying pump rate. All advanced spray-dried microparticulate/nanoparticulate trehalose powders were in the respirable size range and exhibited a unimodal distribution. All spray-dried powders had very low water content, as quantified by KF. The absence of crystallinity in spray-dried particles was reflected in the powder X-ray diffractograms and confirmed by thermal analysis. DSC thermal analysis indicated that the novel advanced spray-dried inhalable trehalose microparticles and nanoparticles exhibited a clear glass transition (T(g)). This is consistent with the formation of the amorphous glassy state. Spray-dried amorphous glassy trehalose inhalable microparticles and nanoparticles exhibited vapor-induced (lyotropic) phase transitions with varying levels of relative humidity as measured by gravimetric vapor sorption at 25°C and 37°C.

Imaging the Atomic Position of Light Cations in a Porous Network and the Europium(III) Ion Exchange Capability by Aberration-Corrected Electron Microscopy.

PubMed

Mayoral, Alvaro; Hall, Reece M; Jackowska, Roksana; Readman, Jennifer E

2016-12-23

In the present work, ETS-10 microporous titanosilicate has been synthesized and its structure characterized by means of powder XRD and aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (C s -corrected STEM). For the first time, sodium ions have been imaged sitting inside the 7-membered rings. The ion-exchange capability has been tested by the inclusion of rare earth metals (Eu, Tb and Gd) to produce a luminescent material which has been studied by atomic-resolution C s -corrected STEM. The data produced has allowed unambiguous imaging of light atoms in a microporous framework as well as determining the cationic metal positions for the first time, providing evidence of the importance of advanced electron microscopy methods for the study of the local environment of metals within zeolitic supports providing unique information of both systems (guest and support) at the same time. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Demonstration of correlative atomic force and transmission electron microscopy using actin cytoskeleton

PubMed Central

Yamada, Yutaro; Konno, Hiroki; Shimabukuro, Katsuya

2017-01-01

In this study, we present a new technique called correlative atomic force and transmission electron microscopy (correlative AFM/TEM) in which a targeted region of a sample can be observed under AFM and TEM. The ultimate goal of developing this new technique is to provide a technical platform to expand the fields of AFM application to complex biological systems such as cell extracts. Recent advances in the time resolution of AFM have enabled detailed observation of the dynamic nature of biomolecules. However, specifying molecular species, by AFM alone, remains a challenge. Here, we demonstrate correlative AFM/TEM, using actin filaments as a test sample, and further show that immuno-electron microscopy (immuno-EM), to specify molecules, can be integrated into this technique. Therefore, it is now possible to specify molecules, captured under AFM, by subsequent observation using immuno-EM. In conclusion, correlative AFM/TEM can be a versatile method to investigate complex biological systems at the molecular level. PMID:28828286

4D imaging of transient structures and morphologies in ultrafast electron microscopy.

PubMed

Barwick, Brett; Park, Hyun Soon; Kwon, Oh-Hoon; Baskin, J Spencer; Zewail, Ahmed H

2008-11-21

With advances in spatial resolution reaching the atomic scale, two-dimensional (2D) and 3D imaging in electron microscopy has become an essential methodology in various fields of study. Here, we report 4D imaging, with in situ spatiotemporal resolutions, in ultrafast electron microscopy (UEM). The ability to capture selected-area-image dynamics with pixel resolution and to control the time separation between pulses for temporal cooling of the specimen made possible studies of fleeting structures and morphologies. We demonstrate the potential for applications with two examples, gold and graphite. For gold, after thermally induced stress, we determined the atomic structural expansion, the nonthermal lattice temperature, and the ultrafast transients of warping/bulging. In contrast, in graphite, striking coherent transients of the structure were observed in both image and diffraction, directly measuring, on the nanoscale, the longitudinal resonance period governed by Young's elastic modulus. The success of these studies demonstrates the promise of UEM in real-space imaging of dynamics.

Imaging interactions of metal oxide nanoparticles with macrophage cells by ultra-high resolution scanning electron microscopy techniques.

PubMed

Plascencia-Villa, Germán; Starr, Clarise R; Armstrong, Linda S; Ponce, Arturo; José-Yacamán, Miguel

2012-11-01

Use of engineered metal oxide nanoparticles in a plethora of biological applications and custom products has warned about some possible dose-dependent cytotoxic effects. Macrophages are key components of the innate immune system used to study possible toxic effects and internalization of different nanoparticulate materials. In this work, ultra-high resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) was used to offer new insights into the dynamical processes of interaction of nanomaterials with macrophage cells dosed with different concentrations of metal oxide nanoparticles (CeO(2), TiO(2) and ZnO). The versatility of FE-SEM has allowed obtaining a detailed characterization of processes of adsorption and endocytosis of nanoparticles, by using advanced analytical and imaging techniques on complete unstained uncoated cells, including secondary electron imaging, high-sensitive backscattered electron imaging, X-ray microanalysis and stereoimaging. Low voltage BF/DF-STEM confirmed nanoparticle adsorption and internalization into endosomes of CeO(2) and TiO(2), whereas ZnO develop apoptosis after 24 h of interaction caused by dissolution and invasion of cell nucleus. Ultra-high resolution scanning electron microscopy techniques provided new insights into interactions of inorganic nanoparticles with macrophage cells with high spatial resolution.

Ultrastructural analysis of testicular tissue and sperm by transmission and scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Chemes, Hector E

2013-01-01

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies have provided the basis for an in-depth understanding of the cell biology and normal functioning of the testis and male gametes and have opened the way to characterize the functional role played by specific organelles in spermatogenesis and sperm function. The development of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) extended these boundaries to the recognition of cell and organ surface features and the architectural array of cells and tissues. The merging of immunocytochemical and histochemical approaches with electron microscopy has completed a series of technical improvements that integrate structural and functional features to provide a broad understanding of cell biology in health and disease. With these advances the detailed study of the intricate structural and molecular organization as well as the chemical composition of cellular organelles is now possible. Immunocytochemistry is used to identify proteins or other components and localize them in specific cells or organelles with high specificity and sensitivity, and histochemistry can be used to understand their function (i.e., enzyme activity). When these techniques are used in conjunction with electron microscopy their resolving power is further increased to subcellular levels. In the present chapter we will describe in detail various ultrastructural techniques that are now available for basic or translational research in reproductive biology and reproductive medicine. These include TEM, ultrastructural immunocytochemistry, ultrastructural histochemistry, and SEM.

High spatial resolution detection of low-energy electrons using an event-counting method, application to point projection microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salançon, Evelyne; Degiovanni, Alain; Lapena, Laurent; Morin, Roger

2018-04-01

An event-counting method using a two-microchannel plate stack in a low-energy electron point projection microscope is implemented. 15 μm detector spatial resolution, i.e., the distance between first-neighbor microchannels, is demonstrated. This leads to a 7 times better microscope resolution. Compared to previous work with neutrons [Tremsin et al., Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A 592, 374 (2008)], the large number of detection events achieved with electrons shows that the local response of the detector is mainly governed by the angle between the hexagonal structures of the two microchannel plates. Using this method in point projection microscopy offers the prospect of working with a greater source-object distance (350 nm instead of 50 nm), advancing toward atomic resolution.

High-resolution analytical imaging and electron holography of magnetite particles in amyloid cores of Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

Plascencia-Villa, Germán; Ponce, Arturo; Collingwood, Joanna F.; Arellano-Jiménez, M. Josefina; Zhu, Xiongwei; Rogers, Jack T.; Betancourt, Israel; José-Yacamán, Miguel; Perry, George

2016-01-01

Abnormal accumulation of brain metals is a key feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Formation of amyloid-β plaque cores (APC) is related to interactions with biometals, especially Fe, Cu and Zn, but their particular structural associations and roles remain unclear. Using an integrative set of advanced transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques, including spherical aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (Cs-STEM), nano-beam electron diffraction, electron holography and analytical spectroscopy techniques (EDX and EELS), we demonstrate that Fe in APC is present as iron oxide (Fe3O4) magnetite nanoparticles. Here we show that Fe was accumulated primarily as nanostructured particles within APC, whereas Cu and Zn were distributed through the amyloid fibers. Remarkably, these highly organized crystalline magnetite nanostructures directly bound into fibrillar Aβ showed characteristic superparamagnetic responses with saturated magnetization with circular contours, as observed for the first time by off-axis electron holography of nanometer scale particles. PMID:27121137

High-resolution analytical imaging and electron holography of magnetite particles in amyloid cores of Alzheimer’s disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plascencia-Villa, Germán; Ponce, Arturo; Collingwood, Joanna F.; Arellano-Jiménez, M. Josefina; Zhu, Xiongwei; Rogers, Jack T.; Betancourt, Israel; José-Yacamán, Miguel; Perry, George

2016-04-01

Abnormal accumulation of brain metals is a key feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Formation of amyloid-β plaque cores (APC) is related to interactions with biometals, especially Fe, Cu and Zn, but their particular structural associations and roles remain unclear. Using an integrative set of advanced transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques, including spherical aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (Cs-STEM), nano-beam electron diffraction, electron holography and analytical spectroscopy techniques (EDX and EELS), we demonstrate that Fe in APC is present as iron oxide (Fe3O4) magnetite nanoparticles. Here we show that Fe was accumulated primarily as nanostructured particles within APC, whereas Cu and Zn were distributed through the amyloid fibers. Remarkably, these highly organized crystalline magnetite nanostructures directly bound into fibrillar Aβ showed characteristic superparamagnetic responses with saturated magnetization with circular contours, as observed for the first time by off-axis electron holography of nanometer scale particles.

Advanced Electron Holography Applied to Electromagnetic Field Study in Materials Science.

PubMed

Shindo, Daisuke; Tanigaki, Toshiaki; Park, Hyun Soon

2017-07-01

Advances and applications of electron holography to the study of electromagnetic fields in various functional materials are presented. In particular, the development of split-illumination electron holography, which introduces a biprism in the illumination system of a holography electron microscope, enables highly accurate observations of electromagnetic fields and the expansion of the observable area. First, the charge distributions on insulating materials were studied by using split-illumination electron holography and including a mask in the illumination system. Second, the three-dimensional spin configurations of skyrmion lattices in a helimagnet were visualized by using a high-voltage holography electron microscope. Third, the pinning of the magnetic flux lines in a high-temperature superconductor YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-y was analyzed by combining electron holography and scanning ion microscopy. Finally, the dynamic accumulation and collective motions of electrons around insulating biomaterial surfaces were observed by utilizing the amplitude reconstruction processes of electron holography. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Correlation of two-photon in vivo imaging and FIB/SEM microscopy

PubMed Central

Blazquez-Llorca, L; Hummel, E; Zimmerman, H; Zou, C; Burgold, S; Rietdorf, J; Herms, J

2015-01-01

Advances in the understanding of brain functions are closely linked to the technical developments in microscopy. In this study, we describe a correlative microscopy technique that offers a possibility of combining two-photon in vivo imaging with focus ion beam/scanning electron microscope (FIB/SEM) techniques. Long-term two-photon in vivo imaging allows the visualization of functional interactions within the brain of a living organism over the time, and therefore, is emerging as a new tool for studying the dynamics of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. However, light microscopy has important limitations in revealing alterations occurring at the synaptic level and when this is required, electron microscopy is mandatory. FIB/SEM microscopy is a novel tool for three-dimensional high-resolution reconstructions, since it acquires automated serial images at ultrastructural level. Using FIB/SEM imaging, we observed, at 10 nm isotropic resolution, the same dendrites that were imaged in vivo over 9 days. Thus, we analyzed their ultrastructure and monitored the dynamics of the neuropil around them. We found that stable spines (present during the 9 days of imaging) formed typical asymmetric contacts with axons, whereas transient spines (present only during one day of imaging) did not form a synaptic contact. Our data suggest that the morphological classification that was assigned to a dendritic spine according to the in vivo images did not fit with its ultrastructural morphology. The correlative technique described herein is likely to open opportunities for unravelling the earlier unrecognized complexity of the nervous system. Lay Description Neuroscience and the understanding of brain functions are closely linked to the technical advances in microscopy. In this study we performed a correlative microscopy technique that offers the possibility to combine 2 photon in vivo imaging and FIB/SEM microscopy. Long term 2 photon in vivo imaging allows the visualization of functional interactions within the brain of a living organism over the time, and therefore, is emerging as a new tool to study the dynamics of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. However, light microscopy has important limitations in revealing synapses that are the connections between neurons, and for this purpose, the electron microscopy is necessary. FIB/SEM microscopy is a novel tool for three-dimensional (3D) high resolution reconstructions since it acquires automated serial images at ultrastructural level. This correlative technique will open up new horizons and opportunities for unravelling the complexity of the nervous system. PMID:25786682

Preface: phys. stat. sol. (a) 202/12

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neumann, Wolfgang; Stutzmann, Martin; Hildebrandt, Stefan

2005-09-01

The present special issue contains a collection of Original Papers dedicated to Professor Johannes Heydenreich on the occasion of his 75th birthday.Johannes Heydenreich, born on 20 June 1930 in Plauen/Vogtland near Dresden, studied physics at the Pädagogische Hochschule Potsdam, where he obtained his first academic degree Dipl. Phys. in 1958. He received his doctoral degree at the Martin Luther University in Halle in 1961 and the Habilitation degree in 1969. Already during his studies in Potsdam, he showed an interest in electron microscopy due to the influence of his teacher and supervisor Prof. Picht, one of the pioneers in electron optics. His interests were strengthened when Johannes Heydenreich did the experimental work for his Diploma degree at the Institute for Experimental Physics of the University of Halle, where he met Prof. Heinz Bethge for the first time. This was the beginning of a fruitful and longstanding collaboration. In 1962 Johannes Heydenreich joined the team of the later Institute for Solid State Physics and Electron Microscopy of the Academy of Sciences of the GDR, in Halle, for which the basis was laid by Prof. Bethge in 1960.Heydenreich has been working as Assistant Director for many years and played a decisive role in introducing and organising the various techniques of electron microscopy in the institute.The research activities of Prof. Heydenreich covered a broad spectrum over the years. At the beginning of his career he made significant contributions in the field of electron mirror microscopy. After that, his main interests were focused on transmission electron microscopy, ranging from diffraction contrast analysis of crystal defects to high-resolution electron microscopy and image processing. His favourite field was studies of defect-induced phenomena in advanced materials. The so-called Bethge-Heydenreich, the book Electron Microscopy in Solid State Physics, published at first in a German edition in 1982 and later in a revised English edition by Elsevier in 1987, provides an excellent overview both of Heydenreich's work and of the spectrum of the Institute of Solid State Physics and Electron Micros-copy in Halle.The international reputation of this institute was the basis for the transformation of it, after the re-unification of Germany, into the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics, the first institute of the Max Planck Society in the Eastern part of Germany. From the beginning, Prof. Heydenreich was on the Board of Directors and served as the Executive Director from 1993 until his retirement in 1995.During this year, the International Centre of Advanced Materials and Electron Microscopy celebrates its 30th anniversary. The Centre was founded in Halle in 1975 as a Centre of Electron Microscopy for the Eastern countries.A remarkable and time-consuming part of Heydenreich's work was associated with this centre. Young scientists from Eastern Europe were trained in the theoretical and practical aspects of electron microscopy during the annual spring and autumn meetings. All in all, Johannes Heydenreich conducted 35 of these schools! From the beginning, he was a member of the Scientific Council of the Centre, and from 1985 until his retirement he was the Director of the Centre. Nowadays, the Centre acts as a real bridge between East and West largely due to the efforts of Johannes Heydenreich.Furthermore, Johannes Heydenreich had been active as a leading member of various scientific boards for many years. He was a co-editor of several journals covering electron microscopy, solid state physics and crystallography. As a member of the Executive Committee of the European Society for Elec-tron Microscopy (CESEM) for many years, and as a member of the Executive board of the German Soci-ety for Electron Microscopy, Johannes Heydenreich has invested a great deal of time and effort in the welfare of the scientific community.Over the course of nearly three decades, Johannes Heydenreich worked as a Professor at the Universities of Halle and Leipzig. Generations of students have admired his excellent lectures with clear repre-sentation and rigorous scholarship.The scientific work of Johannes Heydenreich was honoured by his election to the Academy of Natural Scientists Leopoldina where he worked as a Secretary of Natural Science for many years. The Technical University of Chemnitz conferred an honory doctors degree on Prof. Heydenreich in recognition of his scientific work. The German Society for Electron Microscopy awarded him Honorary Membership.Wolfgang Neumann especially acknowledges with gratitude the time of inspiring collaboration in Halle.All his friends, colleagues, and students wish him many further years of good health. The Editors of physica status solidi join these wishes and add their gratefulness for his long-standing and continuous engagement as a member of the Advisory and Editorial Board of physica status solidi (a).

New advances in scanning microscopy and its application to study parasitic protozoa.

PubMed

de Souza, Wanderley; Attias, Marcia

2018-07-01

Scanning electron microscopy has been used to observe and study parasitic protozoa for at least 40 years. However, field emission electron sources, as well as improvements in lenses and detectors, brought the resolution power of scanning electron microscopes (SEM) to a new level. Parallel to the refinement of instruments, protocols for preservation of the ultrastructure, immunolabeling, exposure of cytoskeleton and inner structures of parasites and host cells were developed. This review is focused on protozoan parasites of medical and veterinary relevance, e.g., Toxoplasma gondii, Tritrichomonas foetus, Giardia intestinalis, and Trypanosoma cruzi, compilating the main achievements in describing the fine ultrastructure of their surface, cytoskeleton and interaction with host cells. Two new resources, namely, Helium Ion Microscopy (HIM) and Slice and View, using either Focused Ion Beam (FIB) abrasion or Microtome Serial Sectioning (MSS) within the microscope chamber, combined to backscattered electron imaging of fixed (chemically or by quick freezing followed by freeze substitution and resin embedded samples is bringing an exponential amount of valuable information. In HIM there is no need of conductive coating and the depth of field is much higher than in any field emission SEM. As for FIB- and MSS-SEM, high resolution 3-D models of areas and volumes larger than any other technique allows can be obtained. The main results achieved with all these technological tools and some protocols for sample preparation are included in this review. In addition, we included some results obtained with environmental/low vacuum scanning microscopy and cryo-scanning electron microscopy, both promising, but not yet largely employed SEM modalities. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Exopolysaccharide microchannels direct bacterial motility and organize multicellular behavior

DOE PAGES

Berleman, James E.; Zemla, Marcin; Remis, Jonathan P.; ...

2016-05-06

The myxobacteria are a family of soil bacteria that form biofilms of complex architecture, aligned multilayered swarms or fruiting body structures that are simple or branched aggregates containing myxospores. Here, we examined the structural role of matrix exopolysaccharide (EPS) in the organization of these surface-dwelling bacterial cells. Using time-lapse light and fluorescence microscopy, as well as transmission electron microscopy and focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM) electron microscopy, we found that Myxococcus xanthus cell organization in biofilms is dependent on the formation of EPS microchannels. Cells are highly organized within the three-dimensional structure of EPS microchannels that are required formore » cell alignment and advancement on surfaces. Mutants lacking EPS showed a lack of cell orientation and poor colony migration. Purified, cell-free EPS retains a channel-like structure, and can complement EPS - mutant motility defects. In addition, EPS provides the cooperative structure for fruiting body formation in both the simple mounds of M. xanthus and the complex, tree-like structures of Chondromyces crocatus. We furthermore investigated the possibility that EPS impacts community structure as a shared resource facilitating cooperative migration among closely related isolates of M. xanthus.« less

Insights into the physical chemistry of materials from advances in HAADF-STEM

DOE PAGES

Sohlberg, Karl; Pennycook, Timothy J.; Zhou, Wu; ...

2014-11-13

The observation that, ‘‘New tools lead to new science’’[P. S. Weiss, ACS Nano., 2012, 6(3), 1877–1879], is perhaps nowhere more evident than in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Advances in STEM have endowed this technique with several powerful and complimentary capabilities. For example, the application of high-angle annular dark-field imaging has made possible real-space imaging at subangstrom resolution with Z-contrast (Z = atomic number). Further advances have wrought: simultaneous real-space imaging and elemental identification by using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS); 3-dimensional (3D) mapping by depth sectioning; monitoring of surface diffusion by time-sequencing of images; reduced electron energy imaging formore » probing graphenes; etc. In this paper we review how these advances, often coupled with first-principles theory, have led to interesting and important new insights into the physical chemistry of materials. We then review in detail a few specific applications that highlight some of these STEM capabilities.« less

77 FR 41188 - Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee (CLIAC)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-12

... technological advances, such as new test methods and the electronic transmission of laboratory information... potential need for educational materials and resources for sites that test under a Provider-performed Microscopy Certificate; and the increased use of culture-independent microbiology diagnostics and the impact...

Reflective small angle electron scattering to characterize nanostructures on opaque substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedman, Lawrence H.; Wu, Wen-Li; Fu, Wei-En; Chien, Yunsan

2017-09-01

Feature sizes in integrated circuits (ICs) are often at the scale of 10 nm and are ever shrinking. ICs appearing in today's computers and hand held devices are perhaps the most prominent examples. These smaller feature sizes demand equivalent advances in fast and accurate dimensional metrology for both development and manufacturing. Techniques in use and continuing to be developed include X-ray based techniques, optical scattering, and of course the electron and scanning probe microscopy techniques. Each of these techniques has their advantages and limitations. Here, the use of small angle electron beam scattering measurements in a reflection mode (RSAES) to characterize the dimensions and the shape of nanostructures on flat and opaque substrates is demonstrated using both experimental and theoretical evidence. In RSAES, focused electrons are scattered at angles smaller than 1 ° with the assistance of electron optics typically used in transmission electron microscopy. A proof-of-concept experiment is combined with rigorous electron reflection simulations to demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of RSAES as a method of non-destructive measurement of shapes of features less than 10 nm in size on flat and opaque substrates.

Reflective Small Angle Electron Scattering to Characterize Nanostructures on Opaque Substrates.

PubMed

Friedman, Lawrence H; Wu, Wen-Li; Fu, Wei-En; Chien, Yunsan

2017-09-01

Features sizes in integrated circuits (ICs) are often at the scale of 10 nm and are ever shrinking. ICs appearing in today's computers and hand held devices are perhaps the most prominent examples. These smaller feature sizes demand equivalent advances in fast and accurate dimensional metrology for both development and manufacturing. Techniques in use and continuing to be developed include X-ray based techniques, optical scattering and of course the electron and scanning probe microscopy techniques. Each of these techniques have their advantages and limitations. Here the use of small angle electron beam scattering measurements in a reflection mode (RSAES) to characterize the dimensions and the shape of nanostructures on flat and opaque substrates is demonstrated using both experimental and theoretical evidence. In RSAES, focused electrons are scattered at angles smaller than 1° with the assistance of electron optics typically used in transmission electron microscopy. A proof-of-concept experiment is combined with rigorous electron reflection simulations to demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of RSAES as a method of non-destructive measurement of shapes of features less than 10 nm in size on flat and opaque substrates.

What transmission electron microscopes can visualize now and in the future.

PubMed

Müller, Shirley A; Aebi, Ueli; Engel, Andreas

2008-09-01

Our review concentrates on the progress made in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in the past decade. This includes significant improvements in sample preparation by quick-freezing aimed at preserving the specimen in a close-to-native state in the high vacuum of the microscope. Following advances in cold stage and TEM vacuum technology systems, the observation of native, frozen hydrated specimens has become a widely used approach. It fostered the development of computer guided, fully automated low-dose data acquisition systems allowing matched pairs of images and diffraction patterns to be recorded for electron crystallography, and the collection of entire tilt-series for electron tomography. To achieve optimal information transfer to atomic resolution, field emission electron guns combined with acceleration voltages of 200-300 kV are now routinely used. The outcome of these advances is illustrated by the atomic structure of mammalian aquaporin-O and by the pore-forming bacterial cytotoxin ClyA resolved to 12 A. Further, the Yersinia injectisome needle, a bacterial pseudopilus and the binding of phalloidin to muscle actin filaments were chosen to document the advantage of the high contrast offered by dedicated scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and/or the STEM's ability to measure the mass of protein complexes and directly link this to their shape. Continued progress emerging from leading research laboratories and microscope manufacturers will eventually enable us to determine the proteome of a single cell by electron tomography, and to more routinely solve the atomic structure of membrane proteins by electron crystallography.

Nanoparticle imaging. 3D structure of individual nanocrystals in solution by electron microscopy.

PubMed

Park, Jungwon; Elmlund, Hans; Ercius, Peter; Yuk, Jong Min; Limmer, David T; Chen, Qian; Kim, Kwanpyo; Han, Sang Hoon; Weitz, David A; Zettl, A; Alivisatos, A Paul

2015-07-17

Knowledge about the synthesis, growth mechanisms, and physical properties of colloidal nanoparticles has been limited by technical impediments. We introduce a method for determining three-dimensional (3D) structures of individual nanoparticles in solution. We combine a graphene liquid cell, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, a direct electron detector, and an algorithm for single-particle 3D reconstruction originally developed for analysis of biological molecules. This method yielded two 3D structures of individual platinum nanocrystals at near-atomic resolution. Because our method derives the 3D structure from images of individual nanoparticles rotating freely in solution, it enables the analysis of heterogeneous populations of potentially unordered nanoparticles that are synthesized in solution, thereby providing a means to understand the structure and stability of defects at the nanoscale. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

A history of scanning electron microscopy developments: towards "wet-STEM" imaging.

PubMed

Bogner, A; Jouneau, P-H; Thollet, G; Basset, D; Gauthier, C

2007-01-01

A recently developed imaging mode called "wet-STEM" and new developments in environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) allows the observation of nano-objects suspended in a liquid phase, with a few manometers resolution and a good signal to noise ratio. The idea behind this technique is simply to perform STEM-in-SEM, that is SEM in transmission mode, in an environmental SEM. The purpose of the present contribution is to highlight the main advances that contributed to development of the wet-STEM technique. Although simple in principle, the wet-STEM imaging mode would have been limited before high brightness electron sources became available, and needed some progresses and improvements in ESEM. This new technique extends the scope of SEM as a high-resolution microscope, relatively cheap and widely available imaging tool, for a wider variety of samples.

Fabrication and characterisation of ligand-functionalised ultrapure monodispersed metal nanoparticle nanoassemblies employing advanced gas deposition technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geremariam Welearegay, Tesfalem; Cindemir, Umut; Österlund, Lars; Ionescu, Radu

2018-02-01

Here, we report for the first time the fabrication of ligand-functionalised ultrapure monodispersed metal nanoparticles (Au, Cu, and Pt) from their pure metal precursors using the advanced gas deposition technique. The experimental conditions during nanoparticle formation were adjusted in order to obtain ultrafine isolated nanoparticles on different substrates. The morphology and surface analysis of the as-deposited metal nanoparticles were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, which demonstrated the formation of highly ordered pure crystalline nanoparticles with a relatively uniform size distribution of ∼10 nm (Au), ∼4 nm (Cu) and ∼3 nm (Pt), respectively. A broad range of organic ligands containing thiol or amine functional groups were attached to the nanoparticles to form continuous networks of nanoparticle-ligand nanoassemblies, which were characterised by scanning electron microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrical resistance of the functional nanoassemblies deposited in the gap spacing of two microfabricated parallel Au electrodes patterned on silicon substrates ranged between tens of kΩ and tens of MΩ, which is suitable for use in many applications including (bio)chemical sensors, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and molecular electronic rectifiers.

Imaging interactions of metal oxide nanoparticles with macrophage cells by ultra-high resolution scanning electron microscopy techniques†

PubMed Central

Plascencia-Villa, Germán; Starr, Clarise R.; Armstrong, Linda S.; Ponce, Arturo

2016-01-01

Use of engineered metal oxide nanoparticles in a plethora of biological applications and custom products has warned about some possible dose-dependent cytotoxic effects. Macrophages are key components of the innate immune system used to study possible toxic effects and internalization of different nanoparticulate materials. In this work, ultra-high resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) was used to offer new insights into the dynamical processes of interaction of nanomaterials with macrophage cells dosed with different concentrations of metal oxide nanoparticles (CeO2, TiO2 and ZnO). The versatility of FE-SEM has allowed obtaining a detailed characterization of processes of adsorption and endocytosis of nanoparticles, by using advanced analytical and imaging techniques on complete unstained uncoated cells, including secondary electron imaging, high-sensitive backscattered electron imaging, X-ray microanalysis and stereoimaging. Low voltage BF/DF-STEM confirmed nanoparticle adsorption and internalization into endosomes of CeO2 and TiO2, whereas ZnO develop apoptosis after 24 h of interaction caused by dissolution and invasion of cell nucleus. Ultra-high resolution scanning electron microscopy techniques provided new insights into interactions of inorganic nanoparticles with macrophage cells with high spatial resolution. PMID:23023106

Silicon Carbide Epitaxial Films Studied by Atomic Force Microscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) holds great potential as an electronic material because of its wide band gap energy, high breakdown electric field, thermal stability, and resistance to radiation damage. Possible aerospace applications of high-temperature, high-power, or high-radiation SiC electronic devices include sensors, control electronics, and power electronics that can operate at temperatures up to 600 C and beyond. Commercially available SiC devices now include blue light-emitting diodes (LED's) and high-voltage diodes for operation up to 350 C, with other devices under development. At present, morphological defects in epitaxially grown SiC films limit their use in device applications. Research geared toward reducing the number of structural inhomogeneities can benefit from an understanding of the type and nature of problems that cause defects. The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) has proven to be a useful tool in characterizing defects present on the surface of SiC epitaxial films. The in-house High-Temperature Integrated Electronics and Sensors (HTIES) Program at the NASA Lewis Research Center not only extended the dopant concentration range achievable in epitaxial SiC films, but it reduced the concentration of some types of defects. Advanced structural characterization using the AFM was warranted to identify the type and structure of the remaining film defects and morphological inhomogeneities. The AFM can give quantitative information on surface topography down to molecular scales. Acquired, in part, in support of the Advanced High Temperature Engine Materials Technology Program (HITEMP), the AFM had been used previously to detect partial fiber debonding in composite material cross sections. Atomic force microscopy examination of epitaxial SiC film surfaces revealed molecular-scale details of some unwanted surface features. Growth pits propagating from defects in the substrate, and hillocks due, presumably, to existing screw dislocations in the substrates, were imaged. Away from local defects, step bunching was observed to yield step heights of hundreds of angstroms, with possible implications for the uniformity of dopants incorporated in SiC devices during fabrication. The quantitative topographic data from the AFM allow the relevant defect information to be extracted, such as the size and distribution of step bunching and the Burgers vector of screw dislocations. These atomic force microscopy results have furthered the understanding of the dynamic epitaxial SiC growth process. A model describing the observed hillock step bunching has been proposed. This cooperation between researchers involved in crystal growth, electronic device fabrication, and surface structural characterization is likely to continue as atomic force microscopy is used to improve SiC films for high-temperature electronic devices for NASA's advanced turbine engines and space power devices, as well as for future applications in the automotive industry.

Application of Advanced Atomic Force Microscopy Techniques to Study Quantum Dots and Bio-materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guz, Nataliia

In recent years, there has been an increase in research towards micro- and nanoscale devices as they have proliferated into diverse areas of scientific exploration. Many of the general fields of study that have greatly affected the advancement of these devices includes the investigation of their properties. The sensitivity of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) allows detecting charges up to the single electron value in quantum dots in ambient conditions, the measurement of steric forces on the surface of the human cell brush, determination of cell mechanics, magnetic forces, and other important properties. Utilizing AFM methods, the fast screening of quantum dot efficiency and the differences between cancer, normal (healthy) and precancer (immortalized) human cells has been investigated. The current research using AFM techniques can help to identify biophysical differences of cancer cells to advance our understanding of the resistance of the cells against the existing medicine.

The Role of Electron Microscopy in Studying the Continuum of Changes in Membranous Structures during Poliovirus Infection

PubMed Central

Rossignol, Evan D.; Yang, Jie E.; Bullitt, Esther

2015-01-01

Replication of the poliovirus genome is localized to cytoplasmic replication factories that are fashioned out of a mixture of viral proteins, scavenged cellular components, and new components that are synthesized within the cell due to viral manipulation/up-regulation of protein and phospholipid synthesis. These membranous replication factories are quite complex, and include markers from multiple cytoplasmic cellular organelles. This review focuses on the role of electron microscopy in advancing our understanding of poliovirus RNA replication factories. Structural data from the literature provide the basis for interpreting a wide range of biochemical studies that have been published on virus-induced lipid biosynthesis. In combination, structural and biochemical experiments elucidate the dramatic membrane remodeling that is a hallmark of poliovirus infection. Temporal and spatial membrane modifications throughout the infection cycle are discussed. Early electron microscopy studies of morphological changes following viral infection are re-considered in light of more recent data on viral manipulation of lipid and protein biosynthesis. These data suggest the existence of distinct subcellular vesicle populations, each of which serves specialized roles in poliovirus replication processes. PMID:26473912

Self-Healing Thermal Annealing: Surface Morphological Restructuring Control of GaN Nanorods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conroy, Michele; Li, Haoning; Zubialevich, Vitaly Z.

With advances in nanolithography and dry etching, top-down methods of nanostructuring have become a widely used tool for improving the efficiency of optoelectronics. These nano dimensions can offer various benefits to the device performance in terms of light extraction and efficiency, but often at the expense of emission color quality. Broadening of the target emission peak and unwanted yellow luminescence are characteristic defect-related effects due to the ion beam etching damage, particularly for III–N based materials. In this article we focus on GaN based nanorods, showing that through thermal annealing the surface roughness and deformities of the crystal structure canmore » be “self-healed”. Correlative electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy show the change from spherical nanorods to faceted hexagonal structures, revealing the temperature-dependent surface morphology faceting evolution. The faceted nanorods were shown to be strain- and defect-free by cathodoluminescence hyperspectral imaging, micro-Raman, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In-situ TEM thermal annealing experiments allowed for real time observation of dislocation movements and surface restructuring observed in ex-situ annealing TEM sampling. This thermal annealing investigation gives new insight into the redistribution path of GaN material and dislocation movement post growth, allowing for improved understanding and in turn advances in optoelectronic device processing of compound semiconductors.« less

Transdermal delivery of raloxifene HCl via ethosomal system: Formulation, advanced characterizations and pharmacokinetic evaluation.

PubMed

Mahmood, Syed; Mandal, Uttam Kumar; Chatterjee, Bappaditya

2018-05-05

Raloxifene HCl belongs to a class of selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) which is used for the management of breast cancer. The major problem reported with raloxifene is its poor bioavailability which is only up to 2%. The main objective of the present work was to formulate raloxifene loaded ethosomal preparation for transdermal application and compare it with an oral formulation of the drug. Five ethosomal formulations with different concentrations of ethanol and a conventional liposomes formulation were prepared by rotary evaporation method. The prepared systems were characterised by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), force emission electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and 31 P NMR study. All these advanced characterization study established that the ethosome formulation was well defined by its size, shape and its bilayer formation. Transdermal flux of the optimized ethosome formulation was 22.14 ± 0.83 µg/ml/cm 2 which was 21 times higher when compared to the conventional liposomes. Confocal microscopy study revealed an enhanced permeation of coumarin-6 dye loaded ethosomes to much deeper layers of skin when compared with conventional liposomes. The gel was found to be pseudoplastic with elastic behaviour. In-vivo studies on rats showed a higher bioavailability of RXL (157% times) for ethosomal formulation when compared with the oral formulation. In conclusion, RXL loaded ethosomal formulation via transdermal route showed superior drug delivery properties as compared to oral formulation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An advanced lithium-air battery exploiting an ionic liquid-based electrolyte.

PubMed

Elia, G A; Hassoun, J; Kwak, W-J; Sun, Y-K; Scrosati, B; Mueller, F; Bresser, D; Passerini, S; Oberhumer, P; Tsiouvaras, N; Reiter, J

2014-11-12

A novel lithium-oxygen battery exploiting PYR14TFSI-LiTFSI as ionic liquid-based electrolyte medium is reported. The Li/PYR14TFSI-LiTFSI/O2 battery was fully characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, capacity-limited cycling, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results of this extensive study demonstrate that this new Li/O2 cell is characterized by a stable electrode-electrolyte interface and a highly reversible charge-discharge cycling behavior. Most remarkably, the charge process (oxygen oxidation reaction) is characterized by a very low overvoltage, enhancing the energy efficiency to 82%, thus, addressing one of the most critical issues preventing the practical application of lithium-oxygen batteries.

Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) Study of the Oxide Layers Formed on Fe-12Cr-4Al Ferritic Alloy in an Oxygenated Pb-Bi Environment at 800°C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popovic, M. P.; Yang, Y.; Bolind, A. M.; Ozdol, V. B.; Olmsted, D. L.; Asta, M.; Hosemann, P.

2018-06-01

Liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) can serve as a heat transfer fluid for advanced nuclear applications as well as concentrated solar power but poses corrosion challenges for the structural materials at elevated temperatures. Oxide passivation of the surfaces of these materials during exposure to liquid LBE can inhibit such material degradation. In this study, transmission electron microscopy of oxides formed on Fe-Cr-Al alloy during exposure to low-oxygenated LBE at 800°C has been performed. A complex structure of the oxide film has been revealed, consisting of a homogeneous inner layer of mostly Al2O3 and a heterogeneous outer layer.

High-pressure freezing and freeze substitution of Arabidopsis for electron microscopy.

PubMed

Austin, Jotham R

2014-01-01

The objectives of electron microscopy ultrastructural studies are to examine cellular architecture and relate the cell's structural machinery to dynamic functional roles. This aspiration is difficult to achieve if specimens have not been adequately preserved in a "living state"; hence specimen preparation is of the utmost importance for the success of any electron micrographic study. High-pressure freezing (HPF)/freeze substitution (FS) has long been recognized as the primer technique for the preservation of ultrastructure in biological samples. In most cases a basic HPF/freeze substitution protocol is sufficient to obtain superior ultrastructural preservation and structural contrast, which allows one to use more advanced microscopy techniques such as 3D electron tomography. However, for plant tissues, which have a thick cell wall, large water-filled vacuoles, and air spaces (all of which are detrimental to cryopreservation), these basic HPF/FS protocols often yield undesirable results. In particular, ice crystal artifacts and the staining of membrane systems are often poorly or negatively stained, which make 3D segmentation of a tomogram difficult. To overcome these problems, various aspects of the HPF/FS protocol can be altered, including the cryo-filler(s) used, freeze substitution cocktail, and the resin infiltration process. This chapter will describe these modifications for the preparation of plant tissues for routine electron microscopic studies, immunocytochemistry, and 3D tomographic electron imaging.

Optics in the United kingdom.

PubMed

Ditchburn, R W

1969-10-01

Optics is interpreted to include x-ray optics, electronic optics, and short wave radiooptics as well as the more conventional visible, uv, and ir optics. Recent work in Britain on x-ray optics (applied to molecular biology), on scanning electron microscopy, and in radioastronomy (discovery of pulsars) is mentioned. In the optics of the visible and ir there is an increasing interest in over-all systems design. .The formation of large industrial units capable of carrying through major design program, requiring advanced mechanical and electronic design associated with new lens systems, is welcomed.

Atomic-Scale Characterization of Oxide Interfaces and Superlattices Using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Spurgeon, Steven R.; Chambers, Scott A.

Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has become one of the fundamental tools to characterize oxide interfaces and superlattices. Atomic-scale structure, chemistry, and composition mapping can now be conducted on a wide variety of materials systems thanks to the development of aberration-correctors and advanced detectors. STEM imaging and diffraction, coupled with electron energy loss (EELS) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDS) spectroscopies, offer unparalleled, high-resolution analysis of structure-property relationships. In this chapter we highlight investigations into key phenomena, including interfacial conductivity in oxide superlattices, charge screening effects in magnetoelectric heterostructures, the design of high-quality iron oxide interfaces, and the complex physics governing atomic-scalemore » chemical mapping. These studies illustrate how unique insights from STEM characterization can be integrated with other techniques and first-principles calculations to develop better models for the behavior of functional oxides.« less

An atomic model of brome mosaic virus using direct electron detection and real-space optimization.

PubMed

Wang, Zhao; Hryc, Corey F; Bammes, Benjamin; Afonine, Pavel V; Jakana, Joanita; Chen, Dong-Hua; Liu, Xiangan; Baker, Matthew L; Kao, Cheng; Ludtke, Steven J; Schmid, Michael F; Adams, Paul D; Chiu, Wah

2014-09-04

Advances in electron cryo-microscopy have enabled structure determination of macromolecules at near-atomic resolution. However, structure determination, even using de novo methods, remains susceptible to model bias and overfitting. Here we describe a complete workflow for data acquisition, image processing, all-atom modelling and validation of brome mosaic virus, an RNA virus. Data were collected with a direct electron detector in integrating mode and an exposure beyond the traditional radiation damage limit. The final density map has a resolution of 3.8 Å as assessed by two independent data sets and maps. We used the map to derive an all-atom model with a newly implemented real-space optimization protocol. The validity of the model was verified by its match with the density map and a previous model from X-ray crystallography, as well as the internal consistency of models from independent maps. This study demonstrates a practical approach to obtain a rigorously validated atomic resolution electron cryo-microscopy structure.

Effect of microstructure on the impact toughness and temper embrittlement of SA508Gr.4N steel for advanced pressure vessel materials.

PubMed

Yang, Zhiqiang; Liu, Zhengdong; He, Xikou; Qiao, Shibin; Xie, Changsheng

2018-01-09

The effect of microstructure on the impact toughness and the temper embrittlement of a SA508Gr.4N steel was investigated. Martensitic and bainitic structures formed in this material were examined via scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) analysis. The martensitic structure had a positive effect on both the strength and toughness. Compared with the bainitic structure, this structure consisted of smaller blocks and more high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs). Changes in the ultimate tensile strength and toughness of the martensitic structure were attributed to an increase in the crack propagation path. This increase resulted from an increased number of HAGBs and refinement of the sub-structure (block). The AES results revealed that sulfur segregation is higher in the martensitic structure than in the bainitic structure. Therefore, the martensitic structure is more susceptible to temper embrittlement than the bainitic structure.

Seeing and believing: recent advances in imaging cell-cell interactions

PubMed Central

Yap, Alpha S.; Michael, Magdalene; Parton, Robert G.

2015-01-01

Advances in cell and developmental biology have often been closely linked to advances in our ability to visualize structure and function at many length and time scales. In this review, we discuss how new imaging technologies and new reagents have provided novel insights into the biology of cadherin-based cell-cell junctions. We focus on three developments: the application of super-resolution optical technologies to characterize the nanoscale organization of cadherins at cell-cell contacts, new approaches to interrogate the mechanical forces that act upon junctions, and advances in electron microscopy which have the potential to transform our understanding of cell-cell junctions. PMID:26543555

Seeing and believing: recent advances in imaging cell-cell interactions.

PubMed

Yap, Alpha S; Michael, Magdalene; Parton, Robert G

2015-01-01

Advances in cell and developmental biology have often been closely linked to advances in our ability to visualize structure and function at many length and time scales. In this review, we discuss how new imaging technologies and new reagents have provided novel insights into the biology of cadherin-based cell-cell junctions. We focus on three developments: the application of super-resolution optical technologies to characterize the nanoscale organization of cadherins at cell-cell contacts, new approaches to interrogate the mechanical forces that act upon junctions, and advances in electron microscopy which have the potential to transform our understanding of cell-cell junctions.

Recent Advances in Nanodisc Technology for Membrane Proteins Studies (2012–2017)

PubMed Central

Rouck, John; Krapf, John; Roy, Jahnabi; Huff, Hannah; Das, Aditi

2017-01-01

Historically, progress in membrane protein research has been hindered due to solubility issues. The introduction of biomembrane mimetics has since stimulated the field’s momentum. One mimetic, the nanodisc, has proved to be an exceptional system for solubilizing membrane proteins. Herein, we critically evaluate the advantages and imperfections from employing nanodiscs in biophysical and biochemical studies. Specifically, we examine the techniques that have been modified to study membrane proteins in nanodiscs. Techniques discussed include fluorescence microscopy, solution state/solid state NMR, electron microscopy, SAXS, and several mass spectroscopy methods. Newer techniques such as SPR, charge sensitive optical detection, and scintillation proximity assays are also reviewed. Lastly, we cover nanodiscs advancing nanotechnology through nanoplasmonic biosensing, lipoprotein-nanoplatelets, and sortase-mediated labeling of nanodiscs. PMID:28581067

Environmental transmission electron microscopy for catalyst materials using a spherical aberration corrector.

PubMed

Takeda, Seiji; Kuwauchi, Yasufumi; Yoshida, Hideto

2015-04-01

Atomic resolution has been obtained using environmental transmission electron microscopy (ETEM) by installing a spherical aberration corrector (Cs-corrector) on the objective lens. Simultaneously, the technology for controlling the environment around a specimen in ETEM has advanced significantly in the past decade. Quantification methodology has recently been established for deriving relevant experimental data in catalyst materials from substantial and systematic ETEM observation at the atomic scale. With this background, this paper summarizes aspects of the evolutional microscopy technique: necessary conditions for atomic resolution in ETEM; reduction of the scattering of electrons by the medium surrounding a specimen; and an environmental cell for structural imaging of a crystalline specimen. The high spatial resolution of a Cs-corrected ETEM is demonstrated for different observation conditions. After statistical analysis combined with numerical image analysis of ETEM data is briefly described, the recent applications of the Cs-corrected ETEM to catalyst materials are reviewed. For gold nanoparticulate catalysts, the structural information on the reaction sites and adsorption sites are deduced. For Pt nanoparticulate catalysts, ETEM studies elucidate the correlation between the catalytic activity and the morphology of the nanoparticles. These studies also reveal oxidation and reduction on the topmost Pt surface layer at the atomic scale. Finally, current issues and the future perspectives of Cs-corrected ETEM are summarized, including the reproducibility of ETEM observation data, the control of environments, the critical evaluation of electron irradiation effects, the full implementation of transmission electron microscopy technology in ETEM, and the safety issues for an ETEM laboratory. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bridging Philosophy of Technology and Neurobiological Research: Interpreting Images from the "Slam Freezer"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenberger, Robert

2005-01-01

The swiftly growing field of neurobiological research utilizes highly advanced technologies (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging, electron microscopy) to mediate between investigators and the brains they investigate. Here, the author analyzes a device called the "slam freezer" that quick-freezes neurons to be studied under the microscope. Employing…

Correlative Super-Resolution Microscopy: New Dimensions and New Opportunities.

PubMed

Hauser, Meghan; Wojcik, Michal; Kim, Doory; Mahmoudi, Morteza; Li, Wan; Xu, Ke

2017-06-14

Correlative microscopy, the integration of two or more microscopy techniques performed on the same sample, produces results that emphasize the strengths of each technique while offsetting their individual weaknesses. Light microscopy has historically been a central method in correlative microscopy due to its widespread availability, compatibility with hydrated and live biological samples, and excellent molecular specificity through fluorescence labeling. However, conventional light microscopy can only achieve a resolution of ∼300 nm, undercutting its advantages in correlations with higher-resolution methods. The rise of super-resolution microscopy (SRM) over the past decade has drastically improved the resolution of light microscopy to ∼10 nm, thus creating exciting new opportunities and challenges for correlative microscopy. Here we review how these challenges are addressed to effectively correlate SRM with other microscopy techniques, including light microscopy, electron microscopy, cryomicroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and various forms of spectroscopy. Though we emphasize biological studies, we also discuss the application of correlative SRM to materials characterization and single-molecule reactions. Finally, we point out current limitations and discuss possible future improvements and advances. We thus demonstrate how a correlative approach adds new dimensions of information and provides new opportunities in the fast-growing field of SRM.

Aberration corrected STEM by means of diffraction gratings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Linck, Martin; Ercius, Peter A.; Pierce, Jordan S.

In the past 15 years, the advent of aberration correction technology in electron microscopy has enabled materials analysis on the atomic scale. This is made possible by precise arrangements of multipole electrodes and magnetic solenoids to compensate the aberrations inherent to any focusing element of an electron microscope. In this paper, we describe an alternative method to correct for the spherical aberration of the objective lens in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) using a passive, nanofabricated diffractive optical element. This holographic device is installed in the probe forming aperture of a conventional electron microscope and can be designed to removemore » arbitrarily complex aberrations from the electron's wave front. In this work, we show a proof-of-principle experiment that demonstrates successful correction of the spherical aberration in STEM by means of such a grating corrector (GCOR). Our GCOR enables us to record aberration-corrected high-resolution high-angle annular dark field (HAADF-) STEM images, although yet without advancement in probe current and resolution. Finally, improvements in this technology could provide an economical solution for aberration-corrected high-resolution STEM in certain use scenarios.« less

Aberration corrected STEM by means of diffraction gratings

DOE PAGES

Linck, Martin; Ercius, Peter A.; Pierce, Jordan S.; ...

2017-06-12

In the past 15 years, the advent of aberration correction technology in electron microscopy has enabled materials analysis on the atomic scale. This is made possible by precise arrangements of multipole electrodes and magnetic solenoids to compensate the aberrations inherent to any focusing element of an electron microscope. In this paper, we describe an alternative method to correct for the spherical aberration of the objective lens in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) using a passive, nanofabricated diffractive optical element. This holographic device is installed in the probe forming aperture of a conventional electron microscope and can be designed to removemore » arbitrarily complex aberrations from the electron's wave front. In this work, we show a proof-of-principle experiment that demonstrates successful correction of the spherical aberration in STEM by means of such a grating corrector (GCOR). Our GCOR enables us to record aberration-corrected high-resolution high-angle annular dark field (HAADF-) STEM images, although yet without advancement in probe current and resolution. Finally, improvements in this technology could provide an economical solution for aberration-corrected high-resolution STEM in certain use scenarios.« less

Interfaces in Heterogeneous Catalysts: Advancing Mechanistic Understanding through Atomic-Scale Measurements.

PubMed

Gao, Wenpei; Hood, Zachary D; Chi, Miaofang

2017-04-18

Developing novel catalysts with high efficiency and selectivity is critical for enabling future clean energy conversion technologies. Interfaces in catalyst systems have long been considered the most critical factor in controlling catalytic reaction mechanisms. Interfaces include not only the catalyst surface but also interfaces within catalyst particles and those formed by constructing heterogeneous catalysts. The atomic and electronic structures of catalytic surfaces govern the kinetics of binding and release of reactant molecules from surface atoms. Interfaces within catalysts are introduced to enhance the intrinsic activity and stability of the catalyst by tuning the surface atomic and chemical structures. Examples include interfaces between the core and shell, twin or domain boundaries, or phase boundaries within single catalyst particles. In supported catalyst nanoparticles (NPs), the interface between the metallic NP and support serves as a critical tuning factor for enhancing catalytic activity. Surface electronic structure can be indirectly tuned and catalytically active sites can be increased through the use of supporting oxides. Tuning interfaces in catalyst systems has been identified as an important strategy in the design of novel catalysts. However, the governing principle of how interfaces contribute to catalyst behavior, especially in terms of interactions with intermediates and their stability during electrochemical operation, are largely unknown. This is mainly due to the evolving nature of such interfaces. Small changes in the structural and chemical configuration of these interfaces may result in altering the catalytic performance. These interfacial arrangements evolve continuously during synthesis, processing, use, and even static operation. A technique that can probe the local atomic and electronic interfacial structures with high precision while monitoring the dynamic interfacial behavior in situ is essential for elucidating the role of interfaces and providing deeper insight for fine-tuning and optimizing catalyst properties. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has long been a primary characterization technique used for studying nanomaterials because of its exceptional imaging resolution and simultaneous chemical analysis. Over the past decade, advances in STEM, that is, the commercialization of both aberration correctors and monochromators, have significantly improved the spatial and energy resolution. Imaging atomic structures with subangstrom resolution and identifying chemical species with single-atom sensitivity are now routine for STEM. These advancements have greatly benefitted catalytic research. For example, the roles of lattice strain and surface elemental distribution and their effect on catalytic stability and reactivity have been well documented in bimetallic catalysts. In addition, three-dimensional atomic structures revealed by STEM tomography have been integrated in theoretical modeling for predictive catalyst NP design. Recent developments in stable electronic and mechanical devices have opened opportunities to monitor the evolution of catalysts in operando under synthesis and reaction conditions; high-speed direct electron detectors have achieved sub-millisecond time resolutions and allow for rapid structural and chemical changes to be captured. Investigations of catalysts using these latest microscopy techniques have provided new insights into atomic-level catalytic mechanisms. Further integration of new microscopy methods is expected to provide multidimensional descriptions of interfaces under relevant synthesis and reaction conditions. In this Account, we discuss recent insights on understanding catalyst activity, selectivity, and stability using advanced STEM techniques, with an emphasis on how critical interfaces dictate the performance of precious metal-based heterogeneous catalysts. The role of extended interfacial structures, including those between core and shell, between separate phases and twinned grains, between the catalyst surface and gas, and between metal and support are discussed. We also provide an outlook on how emerging electron microscopy techniques, such as vibrational spectroscopy and electron ptychography, will impact future catalysis research.

CdTe Photovoltaics for Sustainable Electricity Generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munshi, Amit; Sampath, Walajabad

2016-09-01

Thin film CdTe (cadmium telluride) is an important technology in the development of sustainable and affordable electricity generation. More than 10 GW of installations have been carried out using this technology around the globe. It has been demonstrated as a sustainable, green, renewable, affordable and abundant source of electricity. An advanced sublimation tool has been developed that allows highly controlled deposition of CdTe films onto commercial soda lime glass substrates. All deposition and treatment steps can be performed without breaking the vacuum within a single chamber in an inline process that can be conveniently scaled to a commercial process. In addition, an advanced cosublimation source has been developed to allow the deposition of ternary alloys such as Cd x Mg1- x Te to form an electron reflector layer which is expected to address the voltage deficits in current CdTe devices and to achieve very high efficiency. Extensive materials characterization, including but not limited to scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron back-scatter diffraction, has been performed to get a better understanding of the effects of processing conditions on CdTe thin film photovoltaics. This combined with computer modeling such as density function theory modeling gives a new insight into the mechanism of CdTe photovoltaic function. With all these efforts, CdTe photovoltaics has seen great progress in the last few years. Currently, it has been recorded as the cheapest source of electricity in the USA on a commercial scale, and further improvements are predicted to further reduce the cost while increasing its utilization. Here, we give an overview of the advantages of thin film CdTe photovoltaics as well as a brief review of the challenges that need to be addressed. Some fundamental studies of processing conditions for thin film CdTe are also presented along with fabrication conditions using the closed-space sublimation method.

A hot tip: imaging phenomena using in situ multi-stimulus probes at high temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nonnenmann, Stephen S.

2016-02-01

Accurate high temperature characterization of materials remains a critical challenge to the continued advancement of various important energy, nuclear, electronic, and aerospace applications. Future experimental studies must assist these communities to progress past empiricism and derive deliberate, predictable designs of material classes functioning within active, extreme environments. Successful realization of systems ranging from fuel cells and batteries to electromechanical nanogenerators and turbines requires a dynamic understanding of the excitation, surface-mediated, and charge transfer phenomena which occur at heterophase interfaces (i.e. vapor-solid, liquid-solid, solid-solid) and impact overall performance. Advancing these frontiers therefore necessitates in situ (operando) characterization methods capable of resolving, both spatially and functionally, the coherence between these complex, collective excitations, and their respective response dynamics, through studies within the operating regime. This review highlights recent developments in scanning probe microscopy in performing in situ imaging at high elevated temperatures. The influence of and evolution from vacuum-based electron and tunneling microscopy are briefly summarized and discussed. The scope includes the use of high temperature imaging to directly observe critical phase transition, electronic, and electrochemical behavior under dynamic temperature settings, thus providing key physical parameters. Finally, both challenges and directions in combined instrumentation are proposed and discussed towards the end.

Characterization of conductive nanobiomaterials derived from viral assemblies by low-voltage STEM imaging and Raman scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plascencia-Villa, Germán; Carreño-Fuentes, Liliana; Bahena, Daniel; José-Yacamán, Miguel; Palomares, Laura A.; Ramírez, Octavio T.

2014-09-01

New technologies require the development of novel nanomaterials that need to be fully characterized to achieve their potential. High-resolution low-voltage scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has proven to be a very powerful technique in nanotechnology, but its use for the characterization of nanobiomaterials has been limited. Rotavirus VP6 self-assembles into nanotubular assemblies that possess an intrinsic affinity for Au ions. This property was exploited to produce hybrid nanobiomaterials by the in situ functionalization of recombinant VP6 nanotubes with gold nanoparticles. In this work, Raman spectroscopy and advanced analytical electron microscopy imaging with spherical aberration-corrected (Cs) STEM and nanodiffraction at low-voltage doses were employed to characterize nanobiomaterials. STEM imaging revealed the precise structure and arrangement of the protein templates, as well as the nanostructure and atomic arrangement of gold nanoparticles with high spatial sub-Angstrom resolution and avoided radiation damage. The imaging was coupled with backscattered electron imaging, ultra-high resolution scanning electron microscopy and x-ray spectroscopy. The hybrid nanobiomaterials that were obtained showed unique properties as bioelectronic conductive devices and showed enhanced Raman scattering by their precise arrangement into superlattices, displaying the utility of viral assemblies as functional integrative self-assembled nanomaterials for novel applications.

A pseudo-tetragonal tungsten bronze superstructure: a combined solution of the crystal structure of K6.4(Nb,Ta)(36.3)O94 with advanced transmission electron microscopy and neutron diffraction.

PubMed

Paria Sena, Robert; Babaryk, Artem A; Khainakov, Sergiy; Garcia-Granda, Santiago; Slobodyanik, Nikolay S; Van Tendeloo, Gustaaf; Abakumov, Artem M; Hadermann, Joke

2016-01-21

The crystal structure of the K6.4Nb28.2Ta8.1O94 pseudo-tetragonal tungsten bronze-type oxide was determined using a combination of X-ray powder diffraction, neutron diffraction and transmission electron microscopy techniques, including electron diffraction, high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM), annular bright field STEM (ABF-STEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray compositional mapping (STEM-EDX). The compound crystallizes in the space group Pbam with unit cell parameters a = 37.468(9) Å, b = 12.493(3) Å, c = 3.95333(15) Å. The structure consists of corner sharing (Nb,Ta)O6 octahedra forming trigonal, tetragonal and pentagonal tunnels. All tetragonal tunnels are occupied by K(+) ions, while 1/3 of the pentagonal tunnels are preferentially occupied by Nb(5+)/Ta(5+) and 2/3 are occupied by K(+) in a regular pattern. A fractional substitution of K(+) in the pentagonal tunnels by Nb(5+)/Ta(5+) is suggested by the analysis of the HAADF-STEM images. In contrast to similar structures, such as K2Nb8O21, also parts of the trigonal tunnels are fractionally occupied by K(+) cations.

Correlating microscopy techniques and ToF-SIMS analysis of fully grown mammalian oocytes.

PubMed

Gulin, Alexander; Nadtochenko, Victor; Astafiev, Artyom; Pogorelova, Valentina; Rtimi, Sami; Pogorelov, Alexander

2016-06-20

The 2D-molecular thin film analysis protocol for fully grown mice oocytes is described using an innovative approach. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and optical microscopy imaging were applied to the same mice oocyte section on the same sample holder. A freeze-dried mice oocyte was infiltrated into embedding media, e.g. Epon, and then was cut with a microtome and 2 μm thick sections were transferred onto an ITO coated conductive glass. Mammalian oocytes can contain "nucleolus-like body" (NLB) units and ToF-SIMS analysis was used to investigate the NLB composition. The ion-spatial distribution in the cell components was identified and compared with the images acquired by SEM, AFM and optical microscopy. This study presents a significant advancement in cell embryology, cell physiology and cancer-cell biochemistry.

An Open-Source Storage Solution for Cryo-Electron Microscopy Samples.

PubMed

Ultee, Eveline; Schenkel, Fred; Yang, Wen; Brenzinger, Susanne; Depelteau, Jamie S; Briegel, Ariane

2018-02-01

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) enables the study of biological structures in situ in great detail and to solve protein structures at Ångstrom level resolution. Due to recent advances in instrumentation and data processing, the field of cryo-EM is a rapidly growing. Access to facilities and national centers that house the state-of-the-art microscopes is limited due to the ever-rising demand, resulting in long wait times between sample preparation and data acquisition. To improve sample storage, we have developed a cryo-storage system with an efficient, high storage capacity that enables sample storage in a highly organized manner. This system is simple to use, cost-effective and easily adaptable for any type of grid storage box and dewar and any size cryo-EM laboratory.

Tools for Model Building and Optimization into Near-Atomic Resolution Electron Cryo-Microscopy Density Maps.

PubMed

DiMaio, F; Chiu, W

2016-01-01

Electron cryo-microscopy (cryoEM) has advanced dramatically to become a viable tool for high-resolution structural biology research. The ultimate outcome of a cryoEM study is an atomic model of a macromolecule or its complex with interacting partners. This chapter describes a variety of algorithms and software to build a de novo model based on the cryoEM 3D density map, to optimize the model with the best stereochemistry restraints and finally to validate the model with proper protocols. The full process of atomic structure determination from a cryoEM map is described. The tools outlined in this chapter should prove extremely valuable in revealing atomic interactions guided by cryoEM data. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preparation of Advanced Carbon Anode Materials from Mesocarbon Microbeads for Use in High C-Rate Lithium Ion Batteries

PubMed Central

Fang, Ming-Dar; Ho, Tsung-Han; Yen, Jui-Pin; Lin, Yu-Run; Hong, Jin-Long; Wu, She-Huang; Jow, Jiin-Jiang

2015-01-01

Mesophase soft carbon (MSC) and mesophase graphite (SMG), for use in comparative studies of high C-rate Lithium Ion Battery (LIB) anodes, were made by heating mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB) at 1300 °C and 3000 °C; respectively. The crystalline structures and morphologies of the MSC, SMG, and commercial hard carbon (HC) were investigated by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, their electrochemical properties, when used as anode materials in LIBs, were also investigated. The results show that MSC has a superior charging rate capability compared to SMG and HC. This is attributed to MSC having a more extensive interlayer spacing than SMG, and a greater number of favorably-oriented pathways when compared to HC.

Nanotubes, nanobelts, nanowires, and nanorods of silicon carbide from the wheat husks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qadri, S. B.; Rath, B. B.; Gorzkowski, E. P.

2015-09-14

Nanotubes, nanowires, nanobelts, and nanorods of SiC were synthesized from the thermal treatment of wheat husks at temperatures in excess of 1450 °C. From the analysis based on x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, it has been found that the processed samples of wheat husk consisted of 2H and 3C polytypes of SiC exhibiting the nanostructure shapes. These nanostructures of silicon carbide formed from wheat husks are of technological importance for designing advance composites, applications in biotechnology, and electro-optics. The thermodynamics of the formation of SiC is discussed in terms of the rapid solid state reactionmore » between hydrocarbons and silica on the molecular scale, which is inherently present in the wheat husks.« less

Thermal Characterization of Carbon Nanotubes by Photothermal Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leahu, G.; Li Voti, R.; Larciprete, M. C.; Sibilia, C.; Bertolotti, M.; Nefedov, I.; Anoshkin, I. V.

2015-06-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are multifunctional materials commonly used in a large number of applications in electronics, sensors, nanocomposites, thermal management, actuators, energy storage and conversion, and drug delivery. Despite recent important advances in the development of CNT purity assessment tools and atomic resolution imaging of individual nanotubes by scanning tunnelling microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, the macroscale assessment of the overall surface qualities of commercial CNT materials remains a great challenge. The lack of quantitative measurement technology to characterize and compare the surface qualities of bulk manufactured and engineered CNT materials has negative impacts on the reliable and consistent nanomanufacturing of CNT products. In this paper it is shown how photoacoustic spectroscopy and photothermal radiometry represent useful non-destructive tools to study the optothermal properties of carbon nanotube thin films.

Nanotubes, nanobelts, nanowires, and nanorods of silicon carbide from the wheat husks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qadri, S. B.; Rath, B. B.; Gorzkowski, E. P.; Feng, J.; Qadri, S. N.; Caldwell, J. D.

2015-09-01

Nanotubes, nanowires, nanobelts, and nanorods of SiC were synthesized from the thermal treatment of wheat husks at temperatures in excess of 1450 °C. From the analysis based on x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, it has been found that the processed samples of wheat husk consisted of 2H and 3C polytypes of SiC exhibiting the nanostructure shapes. These nanostructures of silicon carbide formed from wheat husks are of technological importance for designing advance composites, applications in biotechnology, and electro-optics. The thermodynamics of the formation of SiC is discussed in terms of the rapid solid state reaction between hydrocarbons and silica on the molecular scale, which is inherently present in the wheat husks.

Introduction to electron crystallography.

PubMed

Kühlbrandt, Werner

2013-01-01

From the earliest work on regular arrays in negative stain, electron crystallography has contributed greatly to our understanding of the structure and function of biological macromolecules. The development of electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) then lead to the first groundbreaking atomic models of the membrane proteins bacteriorhodopsin and light harvesting complex II within lipid bilayers. Key contributions towards cryo-EM and electron crystallography methods included specimen preparation and vitrification, liquid-helium cooling, data collection, and image processing. These methods are now applied almost routinely to both membrane and soluble proteins. Here we outline the advances and the breakthroughs that paved the way towards high-resolution structures by electron crystallography, both in terms of methods development and biological milestones.

Functional Scanning Probe Imaging of Nanostructured Solar Energy Materials.

PubMed

Giridharagopal, Rajiv; Cox, Phillip A; Ginger, David S

2016-09-20

From hybrid perovskites to semiconducting polymer/fullerene blends for organic photovoltaics, many new materials being explored for energy harvesting and storage exhibit performance characteristics that depend sensitively on their nanoscale morphology. At the same time, rapid advances in the capability and accessibility of scanning probe microscopy methods over the past decade have made it possible to study processing/structure/function relationships ranging from photocurrent collection to photocarrier lifetimes with resolutions on the scale of tens of nanometers or better. Importantly, such scanning probe methods offer the potential to combine measurements of local structure with local function, and they can be implemented to study materials in situ or devices in operando to better understand how materials evolve in time in response to an external stimulus or environmental perturbation. This Account highlights recent advances in the development and application of scanning probe microscopy methods that can help address such questions while filling key gaps between the capabilities of conventional electron microscopy and newer super-resolution optical methods. Focusing on semiconductor materials for solar energy applications, we highlight a range of electrical and optoelectronic scanning probe microscopy methods that exploit the local dynamics of an atomic force microscope tip to probe key properties of the solar cell material or device structure. We discuss how it is possible to extract relevant device properties using noncontact scanning probe methods as well as how these properties guide materials development. Specifically, we discuss intensity-modulated scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (IM-SKPM), time-resolved electrostatic force microscopy (trEFM), frequency-modulated electrostatic force microscopy (FM-EFM), and cantilever ringdown imaging. We explain these developments in the context of classic atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods that exploit the physics of cantilever motion and photocarrier generation to provide robust, nanoscale measurements of materials physics that are correlated with device operation. We predict that the multidimensional data sets made possible by these types of methods will become increasingly important as advances in data science expand capabilities and opportunities for image correlation and discovery.

Evolution of magnetism of Cr nanoclusters on a Au(111) surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gotsis, Harry; Kioussis, Nicholas; Papaconstantopoulos, Dimitri

2004-03-01

Advances in low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy under ultrahigh vacuum have provided new opportunities for investigating the magnetic structures of nanoclusters adsorbed on surfaces. Recent STM studies of Cr trimers on the Au(111) surface suggest a switching between two distinct electronic states. We have carried out ab initio electronic structure calculations to investigate the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of isolated Cr atoms, Cr dimers and trimers in different geometry. We will present results for the evolution of magnetic behavior including noncollinear magnetism and provide insight in the connection between magnetism and geometry.

Optimizing low-light microscopy with back-illuminated electron multiplying charge-coupled device: enhanced sensitivity, speed, and resolution.

PubMed

Coates, Colin G; Denvir, Donal J; McHale, Noel G; Thornbury, Keith D; Hollywood, Mark A

2004-01-01

The back-illuminated electron multiplying charge-coupled device (EMCCD) camera is having a profound influence on the field of low-light dynamic cellular microscopy, combining highest possible photon collection efficiency with the ability to virtually eliminate the readout noise detection limit. We report here the use of this camera, in 512 x 512 frame-transfer chip format at 10-MHz pixel readout speed, in optimizing a demanding ultra-low-light intracellular calcium flux microscopy setup. The arrangement employed includes a spinning confocal Nipkow disk, which, while facilitating the need to both generate images at very rapid frame rates and minimize background photons, yields very weak signals. The challenge for the camera lies not just in detecting as many of these scarce photons as possible, but also in operating at a frame rate that meets the temporal resolution requirements of many low-light microscopy approaches, a particular demand of smooth muscle calcium flux microscopy. Results presented illustrate both the significant sensitivity improvement offered by this technology over the previous standard in ultra-low-light CCD detection, the GenIII+intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD), and also portray the advanced temporal and spatial resolution capabilities of the EMCCD. Copyright 2004 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

A Crash Course in Calcium Channels.

PubMed

Zamponi, Gerald W

2017-12-20

Much progress has been made in understanding the molecular physiology and pharmacology of calcium channels. Recently, there have been tremendous advances in learning about calcium channel structure and function through crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy studies. Here, I will give an overview of our knowledge about calcium channels, and highlight two recent studies that give important insights into calcium channel structure.

Multi-scale invertigation of the relationship between the microstructure and mechanical properties in dual phase steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Fan

Dual phase steel alloys belong to the first generation of advanced high strength steels that are widely used in the automotive industry to form body structure and closure panels of vehicles. A deeper understanding of the microstructural features, such as phase orientation and morphology are needed in order to establish their effect on the mechanical performance and to design a material with optimized attributes. In this work, our goal is to establish what kind of relationship exist between the mechanical properties and the microstructural representation of dual phase steels obtained from experimental observations. Microstructure in different specimens are characterized with advanced experimental techniques as optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction pattern, scanning probe microscopy, and nanoindentation. Nanoindentation, Vickers hardness and tensile testing are conducted to reveal a multi-scale mechanical performance on original material and also specimens under a variety combinations of temperatures, cooling rates, and rolling conditions. To quantify the single phase properties in each sample, an inverse method is adopted using experimental nanoindentation load-depth curves to obtain tensile stress-strain curves for each phase, and the inverse results were verified with the true stress-strain curves from tensile tests. This work also provides the insight on spatial phase distribution of different phases through a 2-point correlation statistical methodology and relate to material strength and formability. The microstructure information is correlated with the results of mechanical tests. The broken surfaces from tensile testing are analyzed to discover the fracture mechanism in relation to martensite morphology and distribuion. Viscoplastic self-consistent fast Fourier Transformation simulations is also used to compute efficiently the local and the homogenized viscoplastic response of the polycrystalline microstructure. The specific objectives of this work are 1) the development of etching techniques and electron backscatter diffraction strategies to characterize ferrite and martensite phases in steel; 2) the uncovering of a relationship between strength/ductility and material microstructure, 3) a statistical description to quantify the spatial distributions of these phases; and finally 4) the simulation of the microstructural evolution using parameters obtained from the experiments.

Microstructural features of carious human enamel imaged with back-scattered electrons.

PubMed

Pearce, E I; Nelson, D G

1989-02-01

We have used back-scattered electrons (BE) in the scanning electron microscope to produce mineral density images of enamel. Flat surfaces of artificially-carious enamel, softened in an intra-oral experiment, and naturally-carious (white spot) enamel were polished to a high gloss with diamond lapping compound, rendering them almost featureless by secondary electron scanning electron microscopy. They were then examined at 10 to 30 kV in a Philips 505 instrument fitted with a 4-quadrant BE detector. Study of surfaces prepared approximately parallel to the natural surface showed that mineral was lost from both prism core and the interprismatic region, leaving a thin mineral-rich rim at the prism periphery. The same lesions viewed longitudinally on a surface prepared perpendicular to the natural surface showed mineral-rich bands at the prism margins in the outer enamel. Near the advancing front of the lesion, the prism junctions were widened and the prism cores sometimes hypermineralized. Natural lesions sectioned in the prism long axis showed features previously seen with other techniques, e.g., cross-striations and striae of Retzius, but in much greater detail. Mineral enrichment at the prism periphery in the lesion body and a widening of the prism junction at the advancing fronts of lesions in permanent teeth were most obvious. Calculations showed that with an accelerating voltage of 30 kV, the images reflected mineral density up to 4 microns beneath the surface. BE microscopy produces a high-resolution image of mineral loss or gain in carious enamel, with relatively easy sample preparation.

Focus on membrane differentiation and membrane domains in the prokaryotic cell.

PubMed

Boekema, Egbert J; Scheffers, Dirk-Jan; van Bezouwen, Laura S; Bolhuis, Henk; Folea, I Mihaela

2013-01-01

A summary is presented of membrane differentiation in the prokaryotic cell, with an emphasis on the organization of proteins in the plasma/cell membrane. Many species belonging to the Eubacteria and Archaea have special membrane domains and/or membrane proliferation, which are vital for different cellular processes. Typical membrane domains are found in bacteria where a specific membrane protein is abundantly expressed. Lipid rafts form another example. Despite the rareness of conventional organelles as found in eukaryotes, some bacteria are known to have an intricate internal cell membrane organization. Membrane proliferation can be divided into curvature and invaginations which can lead to internal compartmentalization. This study discusses some of the clearest examples of bacteria with such domains and internal membranes. The need for membrane specialization is highest among the heterogeneous group of bacteria which harvest light energy, such as photosynthetic bacteria and halophilic archaea. Most of the highly specialized membranes and domains, such as the purple membrane, chromatophore and chlorosome, are found in these autotrophic organisms. Otherwise the need for membrane differentiation is lower and variable, except for those structures involved in cell division. Microscopy techniques have given essential insight into bacterial membrane morphology. As microscopy will further contribute to the unraveling of membrane organization in the years to come, past and present technology in electron microscopy and light microscopy is discussed. Electron microscopy was the first to unravel bacterial morphology because it can directly visualize membranes with inserted proteins, which no other technique can do. Electron microscopy techniques developed in the 1950s and perfected in the following decades involve the thin sectioning and freeze fractioning of cells. Several studies from the golden age of these techniques show amazing examples of cell membrane morphology. More recently, light microscopy in combination with the use of fluorescent dyes has become an attractive technique for protein localization with the natural membrane. However, the resolution problem in light microscopy remains and overinterpretation of observed phenomena is a pitfall. Thus, light microscopy as a stand-alone technique is not sufficient to prove, for instance, the long-range helical distribution of proteins in membrane such as MinD spirals in Bacillus subtilis. Electron tomography is an emerging electron microscopy technique that can provide three-dimensional reconstructions of small, nonchemically fixed bacteria. It will become a useful tool for studying prokaryotic membranes in more detail and is expected to collect information complementary to those of advanced light microscopy. Together, microscopy techniques can meet the challenge of the coming years: to specify membrane structures in more detail and to bring them to the level of specific protein-protein interactions. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Dictionary of Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heath, Julian

2005-10-01

The past decade has seen huge advances in the application of microscopy in all areas of science. This welcome development in microscopy has been paralleled by an expansion of the vocabulary of technical terms used in microscopy: terms have been coined for new instruments and techniques and, as microscopes reach even higher resolution, the use of terms that relate to the optical and physical principles underpinning microscopy is now commonplace. The Dictionary of Microscopy was compiled to meet this challenge and provides concise definitions of over 2,500 terms used in the fields of light microscopy, electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, x-ray microscopy and related techniques. Written by Dr Julian P. Heath, Editor of Microscopy and Analysis, the dictionary is intended to provide easy navigation through the microscopy terminology and to be a first point of reference for definitions of new and established terms. The Dictionary of Microscopy is an essential, accessible resource for: students who are new to the field and are learning about microscopes equipment purchasers who want an explanation of the terms used in manufacturers' literature scientists who are considering using a new microscopical technique experienced microscopists as an aide mémoire or quick source of reference librarians, the press and marketing personnel who require definitions for technical reports.

Where is crystallography going?

PubMed Central

Ashton, Alun W.; Sorensen, Thomas

2018-01-01

Macromolecular crystallography (MX) has been a motor for biology for over half a century and this continues apace. A series of revolutions, including the production of recombinant proteins and cryo-crystallography, have meant that MX has repeatedly reinvented itself to dramatically increase its reach. Over the last 30 years synchrotron radiation has nucleated a succession of advances, ranging from detectors to optics and automation. These advances, in turn, open up opportunities. For instance, a further order of magnitude could perhaps be gained in signal to noise for general synchrotron experiments. In addition, X-ray free-electron lasers offer to capture fragments of reciprocal space without radiation damage, and open up the subpicosecond regime of protein dynamics and activity. But electrons have recently stolen the limelight: so is X-ray crystallography in rude health, or will imaging methods, especially single-particle electron microscopy, render it obsolete for the most interesting biology, whilst electron diffraction enables structure determination from even the smallest crystals? We will lay out some information to help you decide. PMID:29533241

A review of advantages of high-efficiency X-ray spectrum imaging for analysis of nanostructured ferritic alloys

DOE PAGES

Parish, Chad M.; Miller, Michael K.

2014-12-09

Nanostructured ferritic alloys (NFAs) exhibit complex microstructures consisting of 100-500 nm ferrite grains, grain boundary solute enrichment, and multiple populations of precipitates and nanoclusters (NCs). Understanding these materials' excellent creep and radiation-tolerance properties requires a combination of multiple atomic-scale experimental techniques. Recent advances in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) hardware and data analysis methods have the potential to revolutionize nanometer to micrometer scale materials analysis. The application of these methods is applied to NFAs as a test case and is compared to both conventional STEM methods as well as complementary methods such as scanning electron microscopy and atom probe tomography.more » In this paper, we review past results and present new results illustrating the effectiveness of latest-generation STEM instrumentation and data analysis.« less

Microstructural evolution of NF709 (20Cr–25Ni–1.5MoNbTiN) under neutron irradiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Byoungkoo; Tan, Lizhen; Xu, C.

In this study, because of its superior creep and corrosion resistance as compared with general austenitic stainless steels, NF709 has emerged as a candidate structural material for advanced nuclear reactors. To obtain fundamental information about the radiation resistance of this material, this study examined the microstructural evolution of NF709 subjected to neutron irradiation to 3 displacements per atom at 500 °C. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and high-energy x-ray diffraction were employed to characterize radiation-induced segregation, Frank loops, voids, as well as the formation and reduction of precipitates. Radiation hardening of ~76% was estimated by nanoindentation, approximately consistent withmore » the calculation according to the dispersed barrier-hardening model, suggesting Frank loops as the primary hardening source.« less

Quantitative Description of Crystal Nucleation and Growth from in Situ Liquid Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy.

PubMed

Ievlev, Anton V; Jesse, Stephen; Cochell, Thomas J; Unocic, Raymond R; Protopopescu, Vladimir A; Kalinin, Sergei V

2015-12-22

Recent advances in liquid cell (scanning) transmission electron microscopy (S)TEM has enabled in situ nanoscale investigations of controlled nanocrystal growth mechanisms. Here, we experimentally and quantitatively investigated the nucleation and growth mechanisms of Pt nanostructures from an aqueous solution of K2PtCl6. Averaged statistical, network, and local approaches have been used for the data analysis and the description of both collective particles dynamics and local growth features. In particular, interaction between neighboring particles has been revealed and attributed to reduction of the platinum concentration in the vicinity of the particle boundary. The local approach for solving the inverse problem showed that particles dynamics can be simulated by a stationary diffusional model. The obtained results are important for understanding nanocrystal formation and growth processes and for optimization of synthesis conditions.

Microstructural evolution of NF709 (20Cr–25Ni–1.5MoNbTiN) under neutron irradiation

DOE PAGES

Kim, Byoungkoo; Tan, Lizhen; Xu, C.; ...

2015-12-30

In this study, because of its superior creep and corrosion resistance as compared with general austenitic stainless steels, NF709 has emerged as a candidate structural material for advanced nuclear reactors. To obtain fundamental information about the radiation resistance of this material, this study examined the microstructural evolution of NF709 subjected to neutron irradiation to 3 displacements per atom at 500 °C. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and high-energy x-ray diffraction were employed to characterize radiation-induced segregation, Frank loops, voids, as well as the formation and reduction of precipitates. Radiation hardening of ~76% was estimated by nanoindentation, approximately consistent withmore » the calculation according to the dispersed barrier-hardening model, suggesting Frank loops as the primary hardening source.« less

The origins and evolution of freeze-etch electron microscopy

PubMed Central

Heuser, John E.

2011-01-01

The introduction of the Balzers freeze-fracture machine by Moor in 1961 had a much greater impact on the advancement of electron microscopy than he could have imagined. Devised originally to circumvent the dangers of classical thin-section techniques, as well as to provide unique en face views of cell membranes, freeze-fracturing proved to be crucial for developing modern concepts of how biological membranes are organized and proved that membranes are bilayers of lipids within which proteins float and self-assemble. Later, when freeze-fracturing was combined with methods for freezing cells that avoided the fixation and cryoprotection steps that Moor still had to use to prepare the samples for his original invention, it became a means for capturing membrane dynamics on the millisecond time-scale, thus allowing a deeper understanding of the functions of biological membranes in living cells as well as their static ultrastructure. Finally, the realization that unfixed, non-cryoprotected samples could be deeply vacuum-etched or even freeze-dried after freeze-fracturing opened up a whole new way to image all the other molecular components of cells besides their membranes and also provided a powerful means to image the interactions of all the cytoplasmic components with the various membranes of the cell. The purpose of this review is to outline the history of these technical developments, to describe how they are being used in electron microscopy today and to suggest how they can be improved in order to further their utility for biological electron microscopy in the future. PMID:21844598

Biogenicity and Syngeneity of Organic Matter in Ancient Sedimentary Rocks: Recent Advances in the Search for Evidence of Past Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oehler, Dorothy Z.; Cady, Sherry L.

2014-08-01

The past decade has seen an explosion of new technologies for assessment of biogenicity and syngeneity of carbonaceous material within sedimentary rocks. Advances have been made in techniques for analysis of in situ organic matter as well as for extracted bulk samples of soluble and insoluble (kerogen) organic fractions. The in situ techniques allow analysis of micrometer-to-sub-micrometer-scale organic residues within their host rocks and include Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy/imagery, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and forms of secondary ion/laser-based mass spectrometry, analytical transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray absorption microscopy/spectroscopy. Analyses can be made for chemical, molecular, and isotopic composition coupled with assessment of spatial relationships to surrounding minerals, veins, and fractures. The bulk analyses include improved methods for minimizing contamination and recognizing syngenetic constituents of soluble organic fractions as well as enhanced spectroscopic and pyrolytic techniques for unlocking syngenetic molecular signatures in kerogen. Together, these technologies provide vital tools for the study of some of the oldest and problematic carbonaceous residues and for advancing our understanding of the earliest stages of biological evolution on Earth and the search for evidence of life beyond Earth. We discuss each of these new technologies, emphasizing their advantages and disadvantages, applications, and likely future directions.

New developments in photoacoustics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosencwaig, A.

1981-07-01

There have been several important new developments in the fields of photoacoustics and photoacoustic spectroscopy. Photoactoustic techniques are now being used in ferromagnetic and electron spin resonance experiments, and there have been rapid advances in Fourier-transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy. In addition, the calorimetric aspects of photoacoustics are now being extensively exploited for phase transition studies, and to perform thermal-wave imaging and microscopy.

New histopathologic and ultrastructural findings in Reis-Bücklers corneal dystrophy caused by the Arg124Leu mutation of TGFBI gene.

PubMed

Qiu, Wen-Ya; Zheng, Li-Bin; Pan, Fei; Wang, Bei-Bei; Yao, Yu-Feng

2016-09-02

Reis-Bücklers corneal dystrophy (RBCD) was consistently reported as a corneal dystrophy only affected Bowman's layer and superficial corneal stroma, and superficial keratectomy was a recommendation surgery for treatment in literatures. The study reported new histopathological and ultrastructural findings in RBCD caused by the Arg124Leu mutation of transforming growth factor induced (TGFBI) gene in a four-generation Chinese pedigree. Subjects including eight patients and seven unaffected family members received slit-lamp biomicroscopy and photography. DNA was obtained from all subjects, and exons 4 and 11 to 14 of TGFBI gene were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and the products were sequenced. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS OCT) and in vivo confocal microscopy were conducted for ten eyes of five patients. Based on the results of AS OCT and in vivo confocal microscopy, deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DLKP) using cryopreserved donor cornea was applied for four eyes of four patients. Four lamellar dystrophic corneal buttons were studied by light and transmission electron microscopy, and TGFBI immunohistochemistry. Eight patients had typical clinical manifestations of RBCD presenting recurrent painful corneal erosion starting in their early first decades, along with age-dependent progressive geographic corneal opacities. TGFBI sequencing revealed a heterozygous mutation, Arg124Leu in all eight patients. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography and in vivo confocal microscopy showed the dystrophic deposits involved not only in subepithelial and superficial stroma, but also in mid- or posterior stroma in four examined advanced eyes. Light microscopy showed Bowman's layer was absent, replaced by abnormal deposits stain bright red with Masson's trichrome. In superficial cornea, the deposits stacked and produced three to five continuous bands parallel to the corneal collagen lamellae. In mid- to posterior stroma, numerous granular or dot- like aggregates were heavily scattered, and most of them presented around the nuclei of stromal keratocytes. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the multiple electron-dense rod-shaped deposits aggregated and formed a characteristic pattern of three to five continuous bands in superficial cornea, which were similar to those seen under light microscopy. In mid- to posterior stroma, clusters of rod-shaped bodies were scattered extracellular or intracellular of the stromal keratocytes between the stromal lamellae suggesting the close relationship between mutated proteins and keratocyte. The study offer evidences indicating DLKP is a viable treatment option for advanced RBCD to avoid recurrence, and the mutated TGFBIp in dystrophic corneas are of keratocytes origin.

Direct synthesis of multilayer graphene on an insulator by Ni-induced layer exchange growth of amorphous carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murata, H.; Toko, K.; Saitoh, N.; Yoshizawa, N.; Suemasu, T.

2017-01-01

Multilayer graphene (MLG) growth on arbitrary substrates is desired for incorporating carbon wiring and heat spreaders into electronic devices. We investigated the metal-induced layer exchange growth of a sputtered amorphous C layer using Ni as a catalyst. A MLG layer uniformly formed on a SiO2 substrate at 600 °C by layer exchange between the C and Ni layers. Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy showed that the resulting MLG layer was highly oriented and contained relatively few defects. The present investigation will pave the way for advanced electronic devices integrated with carbon materials.

Thermal shock tests with beryllium coupons in the electron beam facility JUDITH

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roedig, M.; Duwe, R.; Schuster, J.L.A.

1995-09-01

Several grades of American and Russian beryllium have been tested in high heat flux tests by means of an electron beam facility. For safety reasons, major modifications of the facility had to be fulfilled in advance to the tests. The influence of energy densities has been investigated in the range between 1 and 7 MJ/m{sup 2}. In addition the influence of an increasing number of shots at constant energy density has been studied. For all samples, surface profiles have been measured before and after the experiments. Additional information has been gained from scanning electron microscopy, and from metallography.

Advances in imaging secondary ion mass spectrometry for biological samples

DOE PAGES

Boxer, Steven G.; Kraft, Mary L.; Weber, Peter K.

2008-12-16

Imaging mass spectrometry combines the power of mass spectrometry to identify complex molecules based on mass with sample imaging. Recent advances in secondary ion mass spectrometry have improved sensitivity and spatial resolution, so that these methods have the potential to bridge between high-resolution structures obtained by X-ray crystallography and cyro-electron microscopy and ultrastructure visualized by conventional light microscopy. Following background information on the method and instrumentation, we address the key issue of sample preparation. Because mass spectrometry is performed in high vacuum, it is essential to preserve the lateral organization of the sample while removing bulk water, and this hasmore » been a major barrier for applications to biological systems. Furthermore, recent applications of imaging mass spectrometry to cell biology, microbial communities, and biosynthetic pathways are summarized briefly, and studies of biological membrane organization are described in greater depth.« less

Nanoscale live cell optical imaging of the dynamics of intracellular microvesicles in neural cells.

PubMed

Lee, Sohee; Heo, Chaejeong; Suh, Minah; Lee, Young Hee

2013-11-01

Recent advances in biotechnology and imaging technology have provided great opportunities to investigate cellular dynamics. Conventional imaging methods such as transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy are powerful techniques for cellular imaging, even at the nanoscale level. However, these techniques have limitations applications in live cell imaging because of the experimental preparation required, namely cell fixation, and the innately small field of view. In this study, we developed a nanoscale optical imaging (NOI) system that combines a conventional optical microscope with a high resolution dark-field condenser (Cytoviva, Inc.) and halogen illuminator. The NOI system's maximum resolution for live cell imaging is around 100 nm. We utilized NOI to investigate the dynamics of intracellular microvesicles of neural cells without immunocytological analysis. In particular, we studied direct, active random, and moderate random dynamic motions of intracellular microvesicles and visualized lysosomal vesicle changes after treatment of cells with a lysosomal inhibitor (NH4Cl). Our results indicate that the NOI system is a feasible, high-resolution optical imaging system for live small organelles that does not require complicated optics or immunocytological staining processes.

Multimodal Nonlinear Optical Microscopy

PubMed Central

Yue, Shuhua; Slipchenko, Mikhail N.; Cheng, Ji-Xin

2013-01-01

Because each nonlinear optical (NLO) imaging modality is sensitive to specific molecules or structures, multimodal NLO imaging capitalizes the potential of NLO microscopy for studies of complex biological tissues. The coupling of multiphoton fluorescence, second harmonic generation, and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) has allowed investigation of a broad range of biological questions concerning lipid metabolism, cancer development, cardiovascular disease, and skin biology. Moreover, recent research shows the great potential of using CARS microscope as a platform to develop more advanced NLO modalities such as electronic-resonance-enhanced four-wave mixing, stimulated Raman scattering, and pump-probe microscopy. This article reviews the various approaches developed for realization of multimodal NLO imaging as well as developments of new NLO modalities on a CARS microscope. Applications to various aspects of biological and biomedical research are discussed. PMID:24353747

FIB-SEM tomography of human skin telocytes and their extracellular vesicles

PubMed Central

Cretoiu, Dragos; Gherghiceanu, Mihaela; Hummel, Eric; Zimmermann, Hans; Simionescu, Olga; Popescu, Laurentiu M

2015-01-01

We have shown in 2012 the existence of telocytes (TCs) in human dermis. TCs were described by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as interstitial cells located in non-epithelial spaces (stroma) of many organs (see www.telocytes.com). TCs have very long prolongations (tens to hundreds micrometers) named Telopodes (Tps). These Tps have a special conformation with dilated portions named podoms (containing mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and caveolae) and very thin segments (below resolving power of light microscopy), called podomers. To show the real 3D architecture of TC network, we used the most advanced available electron microscope technology: focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) tomography. Generally, 3D reconstruction of dermal TCs by FIB-SEM tomography revealed the existence of Tps with various conformations: (i) long, flattened irregular veils (ribbon-like segments) with knobs, corresponding to podoms, and (ii) tubular structures (podomers) with uneven calibre because of irregular dilations (knobs) – the podoms. FIB-SEM tomography also showed numerous extracellular vesicles (diameter 438.6 ± 149.1 nm, n = 30) released by a human dermal TC. Our data might be useful for understanding the role(s) of TCs in intercellular signalling and communication, as well as for comprehension of pathologies like scleroderma, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, etc. PMID:25823591

Imaging of surface spin textures on bulk crystals by scanning electron microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akamine, Hiroshi; Okumura, So; Farjami, Sahar; Murakami, Yasukazu; Nishida, Minoru

2016-11-01

Direct observation of magnetic microstructures is vital for advancing spintronics and other technologies. Here we report a method for imaging surface domain structures on bulk samples by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Complex magnetic domains, referred to as the maze state in CoPt/FePt alloys, were observed at a spatial resolution of less than 100 nm by using an in-lens annular detector. The method allows for imaging almost all the domain walls in the mazy structure, whereas the visualisation of the domain walls with the classical SEM method was limited. Our method provides a simple way to analyse surface domain structures in the bulk state that can be used in combination with SEM functions such as orientation or composition analysis. Thus, the method extends applications of SEM-based magnetic imaging, and is promising for resolving various problems at the forefront of fields including physics, magnetics, materials science, engineering, and chemistry.

Direct observation of Sr vacancies in SrTiO 3 by quantitative scanning transmission electron microscopy

DOE PAGES

Kim, Honggyu; Zhang, Jack Y.; Raghavan, Santosh; ...

2016-12-22

Unveiling the identity, spatial configuration, and microscopic structure of point defects is one of the key challenges in materials science. Here, we demonstrate that quantitative scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) can be used to directly observe Sr vacancies in SrTiO 3 and to determine the atom column relaxations around them. By combining recent advances in quantitative STEM, including variableangle, high-angle annular dark-field imaging and rigid registration methods, with frozen phonon multislice image simulations, we identify which Sr columns contain vacancies and quantify the number of vacancies in them. Here, picometer precision measurements of the surrounding atom column positions show thatmore » the nearest-neighbor Ti atoms are displaced away from the Sr vacancies. The results open up a new methodology for studying the microscopic mechanisms by which point defects control materials properties.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Myllys, Markko; Ruokolainen, Visa; Aho, Vesa

Lytic infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) induces profound modification of the cell nucleus including formation of a viral replication compartment and chromatin marginalization into the nuclear periphery. Here, we used three-dimensional soft X-ray tomography, combined with cryogenic fluorescence, confocal and electron microscopy, to analyse the transformation of peripheral chromatin during HSV-1 infection. Our data showed an increased presence of low-density gaps in the marginalized chromatin at late infection. Advanced data analysis indicated the formation of virus-nucleocapsid-sized (or wider) channels extending through the compacted chromatin of the host. Importantly, confocal and electron microscopy analysis showed that these gapsmore » frequently contained viral nucleocapsids. Our results demonstrated that HSV-1 infection induces the formation of channels penetrating the compacted layer of cellular chromatin and allowing for the passage of progeny viruses to the nuclear envelope, their site of nuclear egress.« less

Gold and iodine diffusion in large area perovskite solar cells under illumination.

PubMed

Cacovich, S; Ciná, L; Matteocci, F; Divitini, G; Midgley, P A; Di Carlo, A; Ducati, C

2017-04-06

Operational stability is the main issue hindering the commercialisation of perovskite solar cells. Here, a long term light soaking test was performed on large area hybrid halide perovskite solar cells to investigate the morphological and chemical changes associated with the degradation of photovoltaic performance occurring within the devices. Using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) in conjunction with EDX analysis on device cross sections, we observe the formation of gold clusters in the perovskite active layer as well as in the TiO 2 mesoporous layer, and a severe degradation of the perovskite due to iodine migration into the hole transporter. All these phenomena are associated with a drastic drop of all the photovoltaic parameters. The use of advanced electron microscopy techniques and data processing provides new insights on the degradation pathways, directly correlating the nanoscale structure and chemistry to the macroscopic properties of hybrid perovskite devices.

Joining of Silicon Carbide: Diffusion Bond Optimization and Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halbig, Michael C.; Singh, Mrityunjay

2008-01-01

Joining and integration methods are critically needed as enabling technologies for the full utilization of advanced ceramic components in aerospace and aeronautics applications. One such application is a lean direct injector for a turbine engine to achieve low NOx emissions. In the application, several SiC substrates with different hole patterns to form fuel and combustion air channels are bonded to form the injector. Diffusion bonding is a joining approach that offers uniform bonds with high temperature capability, chemical stability, and high strength. Diffusion bonding was investigated with the aid of titanium foils and coatings as the interlayer between SiC substrates to aid bonding. The influence of such variables as interlayer type, interlayer thickness, substrate finish, and processing time were investigated. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electron microprobe analysis were used to characterize the bonds and to identify the reaction formed phases.

Direct observation of Sr vacancies in SrTiO 3 by quantitative scanning transmission electron microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Honggyu; Zhang, Jack Y.; Raghavan, Santosh

Unveiling the identity, spatial configuration, and microscopic structure of point defects is one of the key challenges in materials science. Here, we demonstrate that quantitative scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) can be used to directly observe Sr vacancies in SrTiO 3 and to determine the atom column relaxations around them. By combining recent advances in quantitative STEM, including variableangle, high-angle annular dark-field imaging and rigid registration methods, with frozen phonon multislice image simulations, we identify which Sr columns contain vacancies and quantify the number of vacancies in them. Here, picometer precision measurements of the surrounding atom column positions show thatmore » the nearest-neighbor Ti atoms are displaced away from the Sr vacancies. The results open up a new methodology for studying the microscopic mechanisms by which point defects control materials properties.« less

Herpes simplex virus 1 induces egress channels through marginalized host chromatin

DOE PAGES

Myllys, Markko; Ruokolainen, Visa; Aho, Vesa; ...

2016-06-28

Lytic infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) induces profound modification of the cell nucleus including formation of a viral replication compartment and chromatin marginalization into the nuclear periphery. Here, we used three-dimensional soft X-ray tomography, combined with cryogenic fluorescence, confocal and electron microscopy, to analyse the transformation of peripheral chromatin during HSV-1 infection. Our data showed an increased presence of low-density gaps in the marginalized chromatin at late infection. Advanced data analysis indicated the formation of virus-nucleocapsid-sized (or wider) channels extending through the compacted chromatin of the host. Importantly, confocal and electron microscopy analysis showed that these gapsmore » frequently contained viral nucleocapsids. Our results demonstrated that HSV-1 infection induces the formation of channels penetrating the compacted layer of cellular chromatin and allowing for the passage of progeny viruses to the nuclear envelope, their site of nuclear egress.« less

New developments in electron microscopy for serial image acquisition of neuronal profiles.

PubMed

Kubota, Yoshiyuki

2015-02-01

Recent developments in electron microscopy largely automate the continuous acquisition of serial electron micrographs (EMGs), previously achieved by laborious manual serial ultrathin sectioning using an ultramicrotome and ultrastructural image capture process with transmission electron microscopy. The new systems cut thin sections and capture serial EMGs automatically, allowing for acquisition of large data sets in a reasonably short time. The new methods are focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy, ultramicrotome/serial block-face scanning electron microscopy, automated tape-collection ultramicrotome/scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscope camera array. In this review, their positive and negative aspects are discussed. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Functional Scanning Probe Imaging of Nanostructured Solar Energy Materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Giridharagopal, Rajiv; Cox, Phillip A.; Ginger, David S.

From hybrid perovskites to semiconducting polymer/fullerene blends for organic photovoltaics, many new materials being explored for energy harvesting and storage exhibit performance characteristics that depend sensitively on their nanoscale morphology. At the same time, rapid advances in the capability and accessibility of scanning probe microscopy methods over the past decade have made it possible to study processing/structure/function relationships ranging from photocurrent collection to photocarrier lifetimes with resolutions on the scale of tens of nanometers or better. Importantly, such scanning probe methods offer the potential to combine measurements of local structure with local function, and they can be implemented to studymore » materials in situ or devices in operando to better understand how materials evolve in time in response to an external stimulus or environmental perturbation. This Account highlights recent advances in the development and application of scanning probe microscopy methods that can help address such questions while filling key gaps between the capabilities of conventional electron microscopy and newer super-resolution optical methods. Focusing on semiconductor materials for solar energy applications, we highlight a range of electrical and optoelectronic scanning probe microscopy methods that exploit the local dynamics of an atomic force microscope tip to probe key properties of the solar cell material or device structure. We discuss how it is possible to extract relevant device properties using noncontact scanning probe methods as well as how these properties guide materials development. Specifically, we discuss intensity-modulated scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (IM-SKPM), time-resolved electrostatic force microscopy (trEFM), frequency-modulated electrostatic force microscopy (FM-EFM), and cantilever ringdown imaging. We explain these developments in the context of classic atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods that exploit the physics of cantilever motion and photocarrier generation to provide robust, nanoscale measurements of materials physics that are correlated with device operation. We predict that the multidimensional data sets made possible by these types of methods will become increasingly important as advances in data science expand capabilities and opportunities for image correlation and discovery.« less

Functional Scanning Probe Imaging of Nanostructured Solar Energy Materials

DOE PAGES

Giridharagopal, Rajiv; Cox, Phillip A.; Ginger, David S.

2016-08-30

From hybrid perovskites to semiconducting polymer/fullerene blends for organic photovoltaics, many new materials being explored for energy harvesting and storage exhibit performance characteristics that depend sensitively on their nanoscale morphology. At the same time, rapid advances in the capability and accessibility of scanning probe microscopy methods over the past decade have made it possible to study processing/structure/function relationships ranging from photocurrent collection to photocarrier lifetimes with resolutions on the scale of tens of nanometers or better. Importantly, such scanning probe methods offer the potential to combine measurements of local structure with local function, and they can be implemented to studymore » materials in situ or devices in operando to better understand how materials evolve in time in response to an external stimulus or environmental perturbation. This Account highlights recent advances in the development and application of scanning probe microscopy methods that can help address such questions while filling key gaps between the capabilities of conventional electron microscopy and newer super-resolution optical methods. Focusing on semiconductor materials for solar energy applications, we highlight a range of electrical and optoelectronic scanning probe microscopy methods that exploit the local dynamics of an atomic force microscope tip to probe key properties of the solar cell material or device structure. We discuss how it is possible to extract relevant device properties using noncontact scanning probe methods as well as how these properties guide materials development. Specifically, we discuss intensity-modulated scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (IM-SKPM), time-resolved electrostatic force microscopy (trEFM), frequency-modulated electrostatic force microscopy (FM-EFM), and cantilever ringdown imaging. We explain these developments in the context of classic atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods that exploit the physics of cantilever motion and photocarrier generation to provide robust, nanoscale measurements of materials physics that are correlated with device operation. We predict that the multidimensional data sets made possible by these types of methods will become increasingly important as advances in data science expand capabilities and opportunities for image correlation and discovery.« less

Sub-nanometer surface chemistry and orbital hybridization in lanthanum-doped ceria nano-catalysts revealed by 3D electron microscopy.

PubMed

Collins, Sean M; Fernandez-Garcia, Susana; Calvino, José J; Midgley, Paul A

2017-07-14

Surface chemical composition, electronic structure, and bonding characteristics determine catalytic activity but are not resolved for individual catalyst particles by conventional spectroscopy. In particular, the nano-scale three-dimensional distribution of aliovalent lanthanide dopants in ceria catalysts and their effect on the surface electronic structure remains unclear. Here, we reveal the surface segregation of dopant cations and oxygen vacancies and observe bonding changes in lanthanum-doped ceria catalyst particle aggregates with sub-nanometer precision using a new model-based spectroscopic tomography approach. These findings refine our understanding of the spatially varying electronic structure and bonding in ceria-based nanoparticle aggregates with aliovalent cation concentrations and identify new strategies for advancing high efficiency doped ceria nano-catalysts.

Microstructural Evolution and Fracture Behavior of Friction-Stir-Welded Al-Cu Laminated Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beygi, R.; Kazeminezhad, Mohsen; Kokabi, A. H.

2014-01-01

In this study, we attempt to characterize the microstructural evolution during friction stir butt welding of Al-Cu-laminated composites and its effect on the fracture behavior of the joint. Emphasis is on the material flow and particle distribution in the stir zone. For this purpose, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, energy-dispersive spectroscopy EDS and XRD analyses, hardness measurements, and tensile tests are carried out on the joints. It is shown that intermetallic compounds exist in lamellas of banding structure formed in the advancing side of the welds. In samples welded from the Cu side, the banding structure in the advancing side and the hook formation in the retreating side determine the fracture behavior of the joint. In samples welded from the Al side, a defect is formed in the advancing side of the weld, which is attributed to insufficient material flow. It is concluded that the contact surface of the laminate (Al or Cu) with the shoulder of the FSW tool influences the material flow and microstructure of welds.

Fungus-mediated biological synthesis of gold nanoparticles: potential in detection of liver cancer

PubMed Central

Chauhan, Arun; Zubair, Swaleha; Tufail, Saba; Sherwani, Asif; Sajid, Mohammad; Raman, Suri C; Azam, Amir; Owais, Mohammad

2011-01-01

Background Nanomaterials are considered to be the pre-eminent component of the rapidly advancing field of nanotechnology. However, developments in the biologically inspired synthesis of nanoparticles are still in their infancy and consequently attracting the attention of material scientists throughout the world. Keeping in mind the fact that microorganism-assisted synthesis of nanoparticles is a safe and economically viable prospect, in the current study we report Candida albicans-mediated biological synthesis of gold nanoparticles. Methods and results Transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and various spectrophotometric analyses were performed to characterize the gold nanoparticles. The morphology of the synthesized gold particles depended on the abundance of C. albicans cytosolic extract. Transmission electron microscopy, nanophox particle analysis, and atomic force microscopy revealed the size of spherical gold nanoparticles to be in the range of 20–40 nm and nonspherical gold particles were found to be 60–80 nm. We also evaluated the potential of biogenic gold nanoparticles to probe liver cancer cells by conjugating them with liver cancer cell surface-specific antibodies. The antibody-conjugated gold particles were found to bind specifically to the surface antigens of the cancer cells. Conclusion The antibody-conjugated gold particles synthesized in this study could successfully differentiate normal cell populations from cancerous cells. PMID:22072868

Salt-Assisted Ultrasonicated De-Aggregation and Advanced Redox Electrochemistry of Detonation Nanodiamond

PubMed Central

Gupta, Sanju; Evans, Brendan; Henson, Alex; Carrizosa, Sara B.

2017-01-01

Nanodiamond particles form agglomerates in the dry powder state and this poses limitation to the accessibility of their diamond-like core thus dramatically impacting their technological advancement. In this work, we report de-agglomeration of nanodiamond (ND) by using a facile technique namely, salt-assisted ultrasonic de-agglomeration (SAUD). Utilizing ultrasound energy and ionic salts (sodium chloride and sodium acetate), SAUD is expected to break apart thermally treated nanodiamond aggregates (~50–100 nm) and produce an aqueous slurry of de-aggregated stable colloidal nanodiamond dispersions by virtue of ionic interactions and electrostatic stabilization. Moreover, the SAUD technique neither has toxic chemicals nor is it difficult to remove impurities and therefore the isolated nanodiamonds produced are exceptionally suited for engineered nanocarbon for mechanical (composites, lubricants) and biomedical (bio-labeling, biosensing, bioimaging, theranostic) applications. We characterized the microscopic structure using complementary techniques including transmission electron microscopy combined with selected-area electron diffraction, optical and vibrational spectroscopy. We immobilized SAUD produced NDs on boron-doped diamond electrodes to investigate fundamental electrochemical properties. They included surface potential (or Fermi energy level), carrier density and mapping electrochemical (re)activity using advanced scanning electrochemical microscopy in the presence of a redox-active probe, with the aim of understanding the surface redox chemistry and the interfacial process of isolated nanodiamond particles as opposed to aggregated and untreated nanoparticles. The experimental findings are discussed in terms of stable colloids, quantum confinement and predominantly surface effects, defect sites (sp2–bonded C and unsaturated bonds), inner core (sp3–bonded C)/outer shell (sp2–bonded C) structure, and surface functionality. Moreover, the surface electronic states give rise to midgap states which serve as electron donors (or acceptors) depending upon the bonding (or antibonding). These are important as electroanalytical platforms for various electrocatalytic processes. PMID:29125547

Structured Illumination Microscopy for the Investigation of Synaptic Structure and Function.

PubMed

Hong, Soyon; Wilton, Daniel K; Stevens, Beth; Richardson, Douglas S

2017-01-01

The neuronal synapse is a primary building block of the nervous system to which alterations in structure or function can result in numerous pathologies. Studying its formation and elimination is the key to understanding how brains are wired during development, maintained throughout adulthood plasticity, and disrupted during disease. However, due to its diffraction-limited size, investigations of the synaptic junction at the structural level have primarily relied on labor-intensive electron microscopy or ultra-thin section array tomography. Recent advances in the field of super-resolution light microscopy now allow researchers to image synapses and associated molecules with high-spatial resolution, while taking advantage of the key characteristics of light microscopy, such as easy sample preparation and the ability to detect multiple targets with molecular specificity. One such super-resolution technique, Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM), has emerged as an attractive method to examine synapse structure and function. SIM requires little change in standard light microscopy sample preparation steps, but results in a twofold improvement in both lateral and axial resolutions compared to widefield microscopy. The following protocol outlines a method for imaging synaptic structures at resolutions capable of resolving the intricacies of these neuronal connections.

Microstructure characterization of advanced protective Cr/CrN+a-C:H/a-C:H:Cr multilayer coatings on carbon fibre composite (CFC).

PubMed

Major, L; Janusz, M; Lackner, J M; Kot, M; Major, B

2016-06-01

Studies of advanced protective chromium-based coatings on the carbon fibre composite (CFC) were performed. Multidisciplinary examinations were carried out comprising: microstructure transmission electron microscopy (TEM, HREM) studies, micromechanical analysis and wear resistance. Coatings were prepared using a magnetron sputtering technique with application of high-purity chromium and carbon (graphite) targets deposited on the CFC substrate. Selection of the CFC for surface modification in respect to irregularities on the surface making the CFC surface more smooth was performed. Deposited coatings consisted of two parts. The inner part was responsible for the residual stress compensation and cracking initiation as well as resistance at elevated temperatures occurring namely during surgical tools sterilization process. The outer part was responsible for wear resistance properties and biocompatibility. Experimental studies revealed that irregularities on the substrate surface had a negative influence on the crystallites growth direction. Chromium implanted into the a-C:H structure reacted with carbon forming the cubic nanocrystal chromium carbides of the Cr23 C6 type. The cracking was initiated at the coating/substrate interface and the energy of brittle cracking was reduced because of the plastic deformation at each Cr interlayer interface. The wear mechanism and cracking process was described in micro- and nanoscale by means of transmission electron microscope studies. Examined materials of coated CFC type would find applications in advanced surgical tools. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2016 Royal Microscopical Society.

Effects associated with nanostructure fabrication using in situ liquid cell TEM technology

DOE PAGES

Chen, Xin; Zhou, Lihui; Wang, Ping; ...

2015-07-28

We studied silicon, carbon, and SiC x nanostructures fabricated using liquid-phase electron-beam-induced deposition technology in transmission electron microscopy systems. Nanodots obtained from fixed electron beam irradiation followed a universal size versus beam dose trend, with precursor concentrations from pure SiCl 4 to 0 % SiCl 4 in CH 2Cl 2, and electron beamintensity ranges of two orders of magnitude, showing good controllability of the deposition. Secondary electrons contributed to the determination of the lateral sizes of the nanostructures, while the primary beam appeared to have an effect in reducing the vertical growth rate. These results can be used to generatemore » donut-shaped nanostructures. Using a scanning electron beam, line structures with both branched and unbranched morphologies were also obtained. As a result, the liquid-phase electron-beam induced deposition technology is shown to be an effective tool for advanced nanostructured material generation.« less

Biogenicity and Syngeneity of Organic Matter in Ancient Sedimentary Rocks: Recent Advances in the Search for Evidence of Past Life

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oehler, Dorothy Z.; Cady, Sherry L.

2014-12-01

he past decade has seen an explosion of new technologies for assessment of biogenicity and syngeneity of carbonaceous material within sedimentary rocks. Advances have been made in techniques for analysis of in situ organic matter as well as for extracted bulk samples of soluble and insoluble (kerogen) organic fractions. The in situ techniques allow analysis of micrometer-to-sub-micrometer-scale organic residues within their host rocks and include Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy/imagery, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and forms of secondary ion/laser-based mass spectrometry, analytical transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray absorption microscopy/spectroscopy. Analyses can be made for chemical, molecular, and isotopic composition coupled withmore » assessment of spatial relationships to surrounding minerals, veins, and fractures. The bulk analyses include improved methods for minimizing contamination and recognizing syngenetic constituents of soluble organic fractions as well as enhanced spectroscopic and pyrolytic techniques for unlocking syngenetic molecular signatures in kerogen. Together, these technologies provide vital tools for the study of some of the oldest and problematic carbonaceous residues and for advancing our understanding of the earliest stages of biological evolution on Earth and the search for evidence of life beyond Earth. We discuss each of these new technologies, emphasizing their advantages and disadvantages, applications, and likely future directions.« less

Advances in Structural Biology and the Application to Biological Filament Systems.

PubMed

Popp, David; Koh, Fujiet; Scipion, Clement P M; Ghoshdastider, Umesh; Narita, Akihiro; Holmes, Kenneth C; Robinson, Robert C

2018-04-01

Structural biology has experienced several transformative technological advances in recent years. These include: development of extremely bright X-ray sources (microfocus synchrotron beamlines and free electron lasers) and the use of electrons to extend protein crystallography to ever decreasing crystal sizes; and an increase in the resolution attainable by cryo-electron microscopy. Here we discuss the use of these techniques in general terms and highlight their application for biological filament systems, an area that is severely underrepresented in atomic resolution structures. We assemble a model of a capped tropomyosin-actin minifilament to demonstrate the utility of combining structures determined by different techniques. Finally, we survey the methods that attempt to transform high resolution structural biology into more physiological environments, such as the cell. Together these techniques promise a compelling decade for structural biology and, more importantly, they will provide exciting discoveries in understanding the designs and purposes of biological machines. © 2018 The Authors. BioEssays Published by WILEY Periodicals, Inc.

Graphene liquid cells for multi-technique analysis of biological cells in water environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matruglio, A.; Zucchiatti, P.; Birarda, G.; Marmiroli, B.; D'Amico, F.; Kocabas, C.; Kiskinova, M.; Vaccari, L.

2018-05-01

In-cell exploration of biomolecular constituents is the new frontier of cellular biology that will allow full access to structure-activity correlation of biomolecules, overcoming the limitations imposed by dissecting the cellular milieu. However, the presence of water, which is a very strong IR absorber and incompatible with the vacuum working conditions of all analytical methods using soft x-rays and electrons, poses severe constraint to perform important imaging and spectroscopic analyses under physiological conditions. Recent advances to separate the sample compartment in liquid cell are based on electron and photon transparent but molecular-impermeable graphene membranes. This strategy has opened a unique opportunity to explore technological materials under realistic operation conditions using various types of electron microscopy. However, the widespread of the graphene liquid cell applications is still impeded by the lack of well-established approaches for their massive production. We report on the first preliminary results for the fabrication of reproducible graphene liquid cells appropriate for the analysis of biological specimens in their natural hydrated environment with several crucial analytical techniques, namely FTIR microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, AFM, SEM and TEM.

Self-assembly of silicon nanowires studied by advanced transmission electron microscopy

PubMed Central

Agati, Marta; Amiard, Guillaume; Borgne, Vincent Le; Castrucci, Paola; Dolbec, Richard; De Crescenzi, Maurizio; El Khakani, My Alì

2017-01-01

Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) was successfully applied to the analysis of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) that were self-assembled during an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) process. The ICP-synthesized SiNWs were found to present a Si–SiO2 core–shell structure and length varying from ≈100 nm to 2–3 μm. The shorter SiNWs (maximum length ≈300 nm) were generally found to possess a nanoparticle at their tip. STEM energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy combined with electron tomography performed on these nanostructures revealed that they contain iron, clearly demonstrating that the short ICP-synthesized SiNWs grew via an iron-catalyzed vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism within the plasma reactor. Both the STEM tomography and STEM-EDX analysis contributed to gain further insight into the self-assembly process. In the long-term, this approach might be used to optimize the synthesis of VLS-grown SiNWs via ICP as a competitive technique to the well-established bottom-up approaches used for the production of thin SiNWs. PMID:28326234

Nanostitched Composites with Improved Interlaminar and Intralaminar Strengths for Advanced Airframes in Sea-based Aviation

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-13

experimental  and  engineering  expertise...ex   situ,  and   preliminary  in   situ,   experimental   program   utilizing  optical  microscopy,   scanning  electron...modeling,  as  well  as   through  working  with  NAVAIR   for  guidance  on  several   topics  including   experimental

Structure-Property Relationships in Surface-Modified Ceramics. NATO advanced Science Institutes, Series E: Applied Sciences, Volume 170

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-01

channelling and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite ( HOPG ), comparative scratch testing results and some ideas on...electrode graphite , HOPG and carbon fibers also show enhanced wear resistance followoing irradiation (6), the extent of which depends upon the initial...literature dealing with damage effects and physical property changes following neutron irradiation of graphite (single and polycrystalline ) in nuclear

Crystallography of decahedral and icosahedral particles. I - Geometry of twinning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, C. Y.

1979-01-01

The crystal structure of the tetrahedral twins in multiply-twinned particles with decahedral and icosahedral point group symmetries has been examined and correlated with the face-centered cubic structure. Details on the crystal structure as well as the geometrical relationships among twins in each particle are presented. These crystallographic facts serve as a basis for the interpretation of small particle images obtained with advanced methods of transmission electron microscopy.

Detection of abnormal extracellular matrix in the interstitium of regenerating renal tubules.

PubMed

Minuth, Will W; Denk, Lucia

2014-12-15

Stem/progenitor cells are promising candidates for the regeneration of parenchyma in acute and chronic renal failure. However, recent data exhibit that survival of stem/progenitor cells after implantation in diseased renal parenchyma is restricted. To elaborate basic parameters improving survival, cell seeding was simulated under advanced in vitro conditions. After isolation, renal stem/progenitor cells were mounted in a polyester interstitium for perfusion culture. During generation of tubules, chemically defined CO2 Independent Medium or Leibovitz's L-15 Medium was applied. Specimens were then fixed for transmission electron microscopy to analyze morphological features in generated tubules. Fixation in conventional glutaraldehyde (GA) solution shows development of tubules each exhibiting a polarized epithelium, an intact basal lamina and an inconspicuous interstitium. In contrast, special fixation of specimens in GA solution containing cupromeronic blue, ruthenium red or tannic acid unveils previously not visible extracellular matrix. Control experiments elucidate that a comparable extracellular matrix is not present in the interstitium of the matured kidney. Thus, generation of renal tubules in combination with advanced fixation of specimens for electron microscopy demonstrates that development of abnormal features in the newly developed interstitium has to be considered, when repair of renal parenchyma is performed by implantation of stem/progenitor cells.

Platinum replica electron microscopy: Imaging the cytoskeleton globally and locally.

PubMed

Svitkina, Tatyana M

2017-05-01

Structural studies reveal how smaller components of a system work together as a whole. However, combining high resolution of details with full coverage of the whole is challenging. In cell biology, light microscopy can image many cells in their entirety, but at a lower resolution, whereas electron microscopy affords very high resolution, but usually at the expense of the sample size and coverage. Structural analyses of the cytoskeleton are especially demanding, because cytoskeletal networks are unresolvable by light microscopy due to their density and intricacy, whereas their proper preservation is a challenge for electron microscopy. Platinum replica electron microscopy can uniquely bridge the gap between the "comfort zones" of light and electron microscopy by allowing high resolution imaging of the cytoskeleton throughout the entire cell and in many cells in the population. This review describes the principles and applications of platinum replica electron microscopy for studies of the cytoskeleton. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Platinum Replica Electron Microscopy: Imaging the Cytoskeleton Globally and Locally

PubMed Central

SVITKINA, Tatyana M.

2017-01-01

Structural studies reveal how smaller components of a system work together as a whole. However, combining high resolution of details with full coverage of the whole is challenging. In cell biology, light microscopy can image many cells in their entirety, but at a lower resolution, whereas electron microscopy affords very high resolution, but usually at the expense of the sample size and coverage. Structural analyses of the cytoskeleton are especially demanding, because cytoskeletal networks are unresolvable by light microscopy due to their density and intricacy, whereas their proper preservation is a challenge for electron microscopy. Platinum replica electron microscopy can uniquely bridge the gap between the “comfort zones” of light and electron microscopy by allowing high resolution imaging of the cytoskeleton throughout the entire cell and in many cells in the population. This review describes the principles and applications of platinum replica electron microscopy for studies of the cytoskeleton. PMID:28323208

Instrumental requirements for the detection of electron beam-induced object excitations at the single atom level in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Kisielowski, C; Specht, P; Gygax, S M; Barton, B; Calderon, H A; Kang, J H; Cieslinski, R

2015-01-01

This contribution touches on essential requirements for instrument stability and resolution that allows operating advanced electron microscopes at the edge to technological capabilities. They enable the detection of single atoms and their dynamic behavior on a length scale of picometers in real time. It is understood that the observed atom dynamic is intimately linked to the relaxation and thermalization of electron beam-induced sample excitation. Resulting contrast fluctuations are beam current dependent and largely contribute to a contrast mismatch between experiments and theory if not considered. If explored, they open the possibility to study functional behavior of nanocrystals and single molecules at the atomic level in real time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electron cryo-tomography captures macromolecular complexes in native environments.

PubMed

Baker, Lindsay A; Grange, Michael; Grünewald, Kay

2017-10-01

Transmission electron microscopy has a long history in cellular biology. Fixed and stained samples have been used for cellular imaging for over 50 years, but suffer from sample preparation induced artifacts. Electron cryo-tomography (cryoET) instead uses frozen-hydrated samples, without chemical modification, to determine the structure of macromolecular complexes in their native environment. Recent developments in electron microscopes and associated technologies have greatly expanded our ability to visualize cellular features and determine the structures of macromolecular complexes in situ. This review highlights the technological improvements and the new areas of biology these advances have made accessible. We discuss the potential of cryoET to reveal novel and significant biological information on the nanometer or subnanometer scale, and directions for further work. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Zernike phase-contrast electron cryotomography applied to marine cyanobacteria infected with cyanophages.

PubMed

Dai, Wei; Fu, Caroline; Khant, Htet A; Ludtke, Steven J; Schmid, Michael F; Chiu, Wah

2014-11-01

Advances in electron cryotomography have provided new opportunities to visualize the internal 3D structures of a bacterium. An electron microscope equipped with Zernike phase-contrast optics produces images with markedly increased contrast compared with images obtained by conventional electron microscopy. Here we describe a protocol to apply Zernike phase plate technology for acquiring electron tomographic tilt series of cyanophage-infected cyanobacterial cells embedded in ice, without staining or chemical fixation. We detail the procedures for aligning and assessing phase plates for data collection, and methods for obtaining 3D structures of cyanophage assembly intermediates in the host by subtomogram alignment, classification and averaging. Acquiring three or four tomographic tilt series takes ∼12 h on a JEM2200FS electron microscope. We expect this time requirement to decrease substantially as the technique matures. The time required for annotation and subtomogram averaging varies widely depending on the project goals and data volume.

FIB-SEM tomography of human skin telocytes and their extracellular vesicles.

PubMed

Cretoiu, Dragos; Gherghiceanu, Mihaela; Hummel, Eric; Zimmermann, Hans; Simionescu, Olga; Popescu, Laurentiu M

2015-04-01

We have shown in 2012 the existence of telocytes (TCs) in human dermis. TCs were described by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as interstitial cells located in non-epithelial spaces (stroma) of many organs (see www.telocytes.com). TCs have very long prolongations (tens to hundreds micrometers) named Telopodes (Tps). These Tps have a special conformation with dilated portions named podoms (containing mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and caveolae) and very thin segments (below resolving power of light microscopy), called podomers. To show the real 3D architecture of TC network, we used the most advanced available electron microscope technology: focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) tomography. Generally, 3D reconstruction of dermal TCs by FIB-SEM tomography revealed the existence of Tps with various conformations: (i) long, flattened irregular veils (ribbon-like segments) with knobs, corresponding to podoms, and (ii) tubular structures (podomers) with uneven calibre because of irregular dilations (knobs) - the podoms. FIB-SEM tomography also showed numerous extracellular vesicles (diameter 438.6 ± 149.1 nm, n = 30) released by a human dermal TC. Our data might be useful for understanding the role(s) of TCs in intercellular signalling and communication, as well as for comprehension of pathologies like scleroderma, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, etc. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Thermal stability and reduction of iron oxide nanowires at moderate temperatures.

PubMed

Paolone, Annalisa; Angelucci, Marco; Panero, Stefania; Betti, Maria Grazia; Mariani, Carlo

2014-01-01

The thermal stability of iron oxide nanowires, which were obtained with a hard template method and are promising elements of Li-ion based batteries, has been investigated by means of thermogravimetry, infrared and photoemission spectroscopy measurements. The chemical state of the nanowires is typical of the Fe2O3 phase and the stoichiometry changes towards a Fe3O4 phase by annealing above 440 K. The shape and morphology of the nanowires is not modified by moderate thermal treatment, as imaged by scanning electron microscopy. This complementary spectroscopy-microscopy study allows to assess the temperature limits of these Fe2O3 nanowires during operation, malfunctioning or abuse in advanced Li-ion based batteries.

Seeing cilia: imaging modalities for ciliary motion and clinical connections.

PubMed

Peabody, Jacelyn E; Shei, Ren-Jay; Bermingham, Brent M; Phillips, Scott E; Turner, Brett; Rowe, Steven M; Solomon, George M

2018-06-01

The respiratory tract is lined with multiciliated epithelial cells that function to move mucus and trapped particles via the mucociliary transport apparatus. Genetic and acquired ciliopathies result in diminished mucociliary clearance, contributing to disease pathogenesis. Recent innovations in imaging technology have advanced our understanding of ciliary motion in health and disease states. Application of imaging modalities including transmission electron microscopy, high-speed video microscopy, and micron-optical coherence tomography could improve diagnostics and be applied for precision medicine. In this review, we provide an overview of ciliary motion, imaging modalities, and ciliopathic diseases of the respiratory system including primary ciliary dyskinesia, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Label-free imaging of gold nanoparticles in single live cells by photoacoustic microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Chao; Qian, Wei; Shao, Xia; Xie, Zhixing; Cheng, Xu; Liu, Shengchun; Cheng, Qian; Liu, Bing; Wang, Xueding

2016-03-01

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been extensively explored as a model nanostructure in nanomedicine and have been widely used to provide advanced biomedical research tools in diagnostic imaging and therapy. Due to the necessity of targeting AuNPs to individual cells, evaluation and visualization of AuNPs in the cellular level is critical to fully understand their interaction with cellular environment. Currently imaging technologies, such as fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy all have advantages and disadvantages. In this paper, we synthesized AuNPs by femtosecond pulsed laser ablation, modified their surface chemistry through sequential bioconjugation, and targeted the functionalized AuNPs with individual cancer cells. Based on their high optical absorption contrast, we developed a novel, label-free imaging method to evaluate and visualize intracellular AuNPs using photoacoustic microscopy (PAM). Preliminary study shows that the PAM imaging technique is capable of imaging cellular uptake of AuNPs in vivo at single-cell resolution, which provide an important tool for the study of AuNPs in nanomedicine.

Silver stain for electron microscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corbett, R. L.

1972-01-01

Ammoniacal silver stain used for light microscopy was adapted advantageously for use with very thin biological sections required for electron microscopy. Silver stain can be performed in short time, has more contrast, and is especially useful for low power electron microscopy.

Correlated Light and Electron Microscopy/Electron Tomography of Mitochondria In Situ

PubMed Central

Perkins, Guy A.; Sun, Mei G.; Frey, Terrence G.

2009-01-01

Three-dimensional light microscopy and three-dimensional electron microscopy (electron tomography) separately provide very powerful tools to study cellular structure and physiology, including the structure and physiology of mitochondria. Fluorescence microscopy allows one to study processes in live cells with specific labels and stains that follow the movement of labeled proteins and changes within cellular compartments but does not have sufficient resolution to define the ultrastructure of intracellular organelles such as mitochondria. Electron microscopy and electron tomography provide the highest resolution currently available to study mitochondrial ultrastructure but cannot follow processes in living cells. We describe the combination of these two techniques in which fluorescence confocal microscopy is used to study structural and physiologic changes in mitochondria within apoptotic HeLa cells to define the apoptotic timeframe. Cells can then be selected at various stages of the apoptotic timeframe for examination at higher resolution by electron microscopy and electron tomography. This is a form of “virtual” 4-dimensional electron microscopy that has revealed interesting structural changes in the mitochondria of HeLa cells during apoptosis. The same techniques can be applied, with modification, to study other dynamic processes within cells in other experimental contexts. PMID:19348881

Recent advances in plant-mediated engineered gold nanoparticles and their application in biological system.

PubMed

Siddiqi, Khwaja Salahuddin; Husen, Azamal

2017-03-01

For biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles different parts of a plant are used as they contain metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, terpenoids, alcohols, sugars and proteins which act as reducing agents to produce nanoparticles. They also act as capping agent and stabilizer for them. They are used in medicine, agriculture and many other technologies. The attention is therefore focussed on all plant species which have either aroma or colour in their leaves, flowers or roots for the synthesis of nanoparticles because they all contain such chemicals which reduce the metal ions to metal nanoparticles. The size and morphology of gold nanoparticles is dependent on the biogenic-synthetic route, incubation time, temperature, concentration and pH of the solution. In this review, we have discussed the latest developments for the fabrication of gold nanoparticles from herbal extract, their characterization by UV-vis., Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and Zeta Potential techniques. Their application in drug delivery, cancer treatment, catalysis and as antimicrobial agent has also been discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Graphene-enabled electron microscopy and correlated super-resolution microscopy of wet cells.

PubMed

Wojcik, Michal; Hauser, Margaret; Li, Wan; Moon, Seonah; Xu, Ke

2015-06-11

The application of electron microscopy to hydrated biological samples has been limited by high-vacuum operating conditions. Traditional methods utilize harsh and laborious sample dehydration procedures, often leading to structural artefacts and creating difficulties for correlating results with high-resolution fluorescence microscopy. Here, we utilize graphene, a single-atom-thick carbon meshwork, as the thinnest possible impermeable and conductive membrane to protect animal cells from vacuum, thus enabling high-resolution electron microscopy of wet and untreated whole cells with exceptional ease. Our approach further allows for facile correlative super-resolution and electron microscopy of wet cells directly on the culturing substrate. In particular, individual cytoskeletal actin filaments are resolved in hydrated samples through electron microscopy and well correlated with super-resolution results.

Author Contribution to the Pu Handbook II: Chapter 37 LLNL Integrated Sample Preparation Glovebox (TEM) Section

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wall, Mark A.

The development of our Integrated Actinide Sample Preparation Laboratory (IASPL) commenced in 1998 driven by the need to perform transmission electron microscopy studies on naturally aged plutonium and its alloys looking for the microstructural effects of the radiological decay process (1). Remodeling and construction of a laboratory within the Chemistry and Materials Science Directorate facilities at LLNL was required to turn a standard radiological laboratory into a Radiological Materials Area (RMA) and Radiological Buffer Area (RBA) containing type I, II and III workplaces. Two inert atmosphere dry-train glove boxes with antechambers and entry/exit fumehoods (Figure 1), having a baseline atmospheremore » of 1 ppm oxygen and 1 ppm water vapor, a utility fumehood and a portable, and a third double-walled enclosure have been installed and commissioned. These capabilities, along with highly trained technical staff, facilitate the safe operation of sample preparation processes and instrumentation, and sample handling while minimizing oxidation or corrosion of the plutonium. In addition, we are currently developing the capability to safely transfer small metallographically prepared samples to a mini-SEM for microstructural imaging and chemical analysis. The gloveboxes continue to be the most crucial element of the laboratory allowing nearly oxide-free sample preparation for a wide variety of LLNL-based characterization experiments, which includes transmission electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, optical microscopy, electrical resistivity, ion implantation, X-ray diffraction and absorption, magnetometry, metrological surface measurements, high-pressure diamond anvil cell equation-of-state, phonon dispersion measurements, X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The sample preparation and materials processing capabilities in the IASPL have also facilitated experimentation at world-class facilities such as the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France, the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Facility, the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory, the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the Triumph Accelerator in Canada.« less

Gold decorated porous biosilica nanodevices for advanced medicine.

PubMed

Terracciano, Monica; Napolitano, Michela; De Stefano, Luca; De Luca, Anna Chiara; Rea, Ilaria

2018-06-08

Diatomite is a fossil material made of amorphous porous silica. In this work, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified diatomite NPs (PEG-DNPs) are decorated with gold NPs (AuNPs) by one-pot liquid-phase synthesis. Nanocomplexes (PEG-DNPs@AuNPs), with an average size of about 450 nm, are characterized by dynamic light scattering, electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption/desorption analysis, UV-vis and photoluminescence spectroscopies. Preliminary studies on the use of the nanocomplex in nanomedicine are also presented. Tests performed incubating PEG-DNPs@AuNPs in physiological conditions reveal a good stability of material. Cellular uptake of labeled PEG-DNPs@AuNPs is investigated by confocal microscopy after incubation with human cervix epithelioid carcinoma (HeLa) cells up to 48 h: an efficient cytoplasmic localization is observed. In vitro cytotoxicity of nanocomplexes with a concentration up to 400 μg ml -1 for 72 h is also evaluated. The results suggest the use of PEG-DNPs@AuNPs as advanced nanodevices adding imaging features to the nanocomplexes, due to AuNPs as contrast agent.

Gold decorated porous biosilica nanodevices for advanced medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terracciano, Monica; Napolitano, Michela; De Stefano, Luca; Chiara De Luca, Anna; Rea, Ilaria

2018-06-01

Diatomite is a fossil material made of amorphous porous silica. In this work, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified diatomite NPs (PEG-DNPs) are decorated with gold NPs (AuNPs) by one-pot liquid-phase synthesis. Nanocomplexes (PEG-DNPs@AuNPs), with an average size of about 450 nm, are characterized by dynamic light scattering, electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption/desorption analysis, UV–vis and photoluminescence spectroscopies. Preliminary studies on the use of the nanocomplex in nanomedicine are also presented. Tests performed incubating PEG-DNPs@AuNPs in physiological conditions reveal a good stability of material. Cellular uptake of labeled PEG-DNPs@AuNPs is investigated by confocal microscopy after incubation with human cervix epithelioid carcinoma (HeLa) cells up to 48 h: an efficient cytoplasmic localization is observed. In vitro cytotoxicity of nanocomplexes with a concentration up to 400 μg ml‑1 for 72 h is also evaluated. The results suggest the use of PEG-DNPs@AuNPs as advanced nanodevices adding imaging features to the nanocomplexes, due to AuNPs as contrast agent.

The multi-modal Australian ScienceS Imaging and Visualization Environment (MASSIVE) high performance computing infrastructure: applications in neuroscience and neuroinformatics research

PubMed Central

Goscinski, Wojtek J.; McIntosh, Paul; Felzmann, Ulrich; Maksimenko, Anton; Hall, Christopher J.; Gureyev, Timur; Thompson, Darren; Janke, Andrew; Galloway, Graham; Killeen, Neil E. B.; Raniga, Parnesh; Kaluza, Owen; Ng, Amanda; Poudel, Govinda; Barnes, David G.; Nguyen, Toan; Bonnington, Paul; Egan, Gary F.

2014-01-01

The Multi-modal Australian ScienceS Imaging and Visualization Environment (MASSIVE) is a national imaging and visualization facility established by Monash University, the Australian Synchrotron, the Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), and the Victorian Partnership for Advanced Computing (VPAC), with funding from the National Computational Infrastructure and the Victorian Government. The MASSIVE facility provides hardware, software, and expertise to drive research in the biomedical sciences, particularly advanced brain imaging research using synchrotron x-ray and infrared imaging, functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), x-ray computer tomography (CT), electron microscopy and optical microscopy. The development of MASSIVE has been based on best practice in system integration methodologies, frameworks, and architectures. The facility has: (i) integrated multiple different neuroimaging analysis software components, (ii) enabled cross-platform and cross-modality integration of neuroinformatics tools, and (iii) brought together neuroimaging databases and analysis workflows. MASSIVE is now operational as a nationally distributed and integrated facility for neuroinfomatics and brain imaging research. PMID:24734019

Nanoscale Phase-Separated Structure in Core-Shell Nanoparticles of SiO2-Si1-xGexO2 Glass Revealed by Electron Microscopy.

PubMed

Kubo, Yugo; Yonezawa, Kazuhiro

2017-09-05

SiO 2 -based optical fibers are indispensable components of modern information communication technologies. It has recently become increasingly important to establish a technique for visualizing the nanoscale phase-separated structure inside SiO 2 -GeO 2 glass nanoparticles during the manufacturing of SiO 2 -GeO 2 fibers. This is because the rapidly increasing price of Ge has made it necessary to improve the Ge yield by clarifying the detailed mechanism of Ge diffusion into SiO 2 . However, direct observation of the internal nanostructure of glass particles has been extremely difficult, mainly due to electrostatic charging and the damage induced by electron and X-ray irradiation. In the present study, we used state-of-the-art scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) to examine cross-sectional samples of SiO 2 -GeO 2 particles embedded in an epoxy resin, which were fabricated using a broad Ar ion beam and a focused Ga ion beam. These advanced techniques enabled us to observe the internal phase-separated structure of the nanoparticles. We have for the first time clearly determined the SiO 2 -Si 1-x Ge x O 2 core-shell structure of such particles, the element distribution, the degree of crystallinity, and the quantitative chemical composition of microscopic regions, and we discuss the formation mechanism for the observed structure. The proposed imaging protocol is highly promising for studying the internal structure of various core-shell nanoparticles, which affects their catalytic, optical, and electronic properties.

Scanning ultrafast electron microscopy.

PubMed

Yang, Ding-Shyue; Mohammed, Omar F; Zewail, Ahmed H

2010-08-24

Progress has been made in the development of four-dimensional ultrafast electron microscopy, which enables space-time imaging of structural dynamics in the condensed phase. In ultrafast electron microscopy, the electrons are accelerated, typically to 200 keV, and the microscope operates in the transmission mode. Here, we report the development of scanning ultrafast electron microscopy using a field-emission-source configuration. Scanning of pulses is made in the single-electron mode, for which the pulse contains at most one or a few electrons, thus achieving imaging without the space-charge effect between electrons, and still in ten(s) of seconds. For imaging, the secondary electrons from surface structures are detected, as demonstrated here for material surfaces and biological specimens. By recording backscattered electrons, diffraction patterns from single crystals were also obtained. Scanning pulsed-electron microscopy with the acquired spatiotemporal resolutions, and its efficient heat-dissipation feature, is now poised to provide in situ 4D imaging and with environmental capability.

Molecules to maps: tools for visualization and interaction in support of computational biology.

PubMed

Kraemer, E T; Ferrin, T E

1998-01-01

The volume of data produced by genome projects, X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, and electron and confocal microscopy present the bioinformatics community with new challenges for analyzing, understanding, and exchanging this data. At the 1998 Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing, a track entitled 'Molecules to Maps: Tools for Visualization and Interaction in Computational Biology' provided tool developers and users with the opportunity to discuss advances in tools and techniques to assist scientists in evaluating, absorbing, navigating, and correlating this sea of information, through visualization and user interaction. In this paper we present these advances and discuss some of the challenges that remain to be solved.

Friction Stir Welding of ODS and RAFM Steels

DOE PAGES

Yu, Zhenzhen; Feng, Zhili; Hoelzer, David; ...

2015-09-14

Advanced structural materials such as oxide dispersion strengthened steels and reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steels are desired in fusion reactors as primary candidate materials for first wall and blanket structures, due to their excellent radiation and high-temperature creep resistance. However, their poor fusion weldability has been the major technical challenge limiting practical applications. For this reason, solid-state friction stir welding (FSW) has been considered for such applications. In this paper, the effect of FSW parameters on joining similar and dissimilar advanced structural steels was investigated. Scanning electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction methods were used to reveal the effects of FSW onmore » grain size, micro-texture distribution, and phase stability. Hardness mapping was performed to evaluate mechanical properties. Finally, post weld heat treatment was also performed to tailor the microstructure in the welds in order to match the weld zone mechanical properties to the base material.« less

Dynamical backaction cooling with free electrons.

PubMed

Niguès, A; Siria, A; Verlot, P

2015-09-18

The ability to cool single ions, atomic ensembles, and more recently macroscopic degrees of freedom down to the quantum ground state has generated considerable progress and perspectives in fundamental and technological science. These major advances have been essentially obtained by coupling mechanical motion to a resonant electromagnetic degree of freedom in what is generally known as laser cooling. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the first self-induced coherent cooling mechanism that is not mediated by an electromagnetic resonance. Using a focused electron beam, we report a 50-fold reduction of the motional temperature of a nanowire. Our result primarily relies on the sub-nanometre confinement of the electron beam and generalizes to any delayed and spatially confined interaction, with important consequences for near-field microscopy and fundamental nanoscale dissipation mechanisms.

High-Resolution of Electron Microscopy of Montmorillonite and Montmorillonite/Epoxy Nanocomposites

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

AFRL-ML-WP-TP-2006-464 HIGH-RESOLUTION OF ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF MONTMORILLONITE AND MONTMORILLONITE /EPOXY NANOCOMPOSITES Lawrence F...HIGH-RESOLUTION OF ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF MONTMORILLONITE AND MONTMORILLONITE /EPOXY NANOCOMPOSITES 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 62102F 5d...transmission electron microscopy the structure and morphology of montmorillonite (MMT), a material of current interest for use in polymer nanocomposites, was

Static and dynamic structural characterization of nanomaterial catalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masiel, Daniel Joseph

Heterogeneous catalysts systems are pervasive in industry, technology and academia. These systems often involve nanostructured transition metal particles that have crucial interfaces with either their supports or solid products. Understanding the nature of these interfaces as well as the structure of the catalysts and support materials themselves is crucial for the advancement of catalysis in general. Recent developments in the field of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) including dynamic transmission electron microscopy (DTEM), electron tomography, and in situ techniques stand poised to provide fresh insight into nanostructured catalyst systems. Several electron microscopy techniques are applied in this study to elucidate the mechanism of silica nanocoil growth and to discern the role of the support material and catalyst size in carbon dioxide and steam reforming of methane. The growth of silica nanocoils by faceted cobalt nanoparticles is a process that was initially believed to take place via a vapor-liquid-solid growth mechanism similar to other nanowire growth techniques. The extensive TEM work described here suggests that the process may instead occur via transport of silicate and silica species over the nanoparticle surface. Electron tomography studies of the interface between the catalyst particles and the wire indicate that they grow from edges between facets. Studies on reduction of the Co 3O4 nanoparticle precursors to the faceted pure cobalt catalysts were carried out using DTEM and in situ heating. Supported catalyst systems for methane reforming were studied using dark field scanning TEM to better understand sintering effects and the increased activity of Ni/Co catalysts supported by carbon nanotubes. Several novel electron microscopy techniques are described including annular dark field DTEM and a metaheuristic algorithm for solving the phase problem of coherent diffractive imaging. By inserting an annular dark field aperture into the back focal plane of the objective lens in a DTEM, time-resolved dark field images can be produced that have vastly improved contrast for supported catalyst materials compared to bright field DTEM imaging. A new algorithm called swarm optimized phase retrieval is described that uses a population-based approach to solve for the missing phases of diffraction data from discrete particles.

Correlative fluorescence microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy of quantum-dot-labeled proteins in whole cells in liquid.

PubMed

Dukes, Madeline J; Peckys, Diana B; de Jonge, Niels

2010-07-27

Correlative fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a state-of-the-art microscopy methodology to study cellular function, combining the functionality of light microscopy with the high resolution of electron microscopy. However, this technique involves complex sample preparation procedures due to its need for either thin sections or frozen samples for TEM imaging. Here, we introduce a novel correlative approach capable of imaging whole eukaryotic cells in liquid with fluorescence microscopy and with scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM); there is no additional sample preparation necessary for the electron microscopy. Quantum dots (QDs) were bound to epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors of COS7 fibroblast cells. Fixed whole cells in saline water were imaged with fluorescence microscopy and subsequently with STEM. The STEM images were correlated with fluorescence images of the same cellular regions. QDs of dimensions 7x12 nm were visible in a 5 microm thick layer of saline water, consistent with calculations. A spatial resolution of 3 nm was achieved on the QDs.

Correlative Fluorescence Microscopy and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy of Quantum Dot Labeled Proteins in Whole Cells in Liquid

PubMed Central

Dukes, Madeline J.; Peckys, Diana B.; de Jonge, Niels

2010-01-01

Correlative fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a state-of-the-art microscopy methodology to study cellular function, combining the functionality of light microscopy with the high resolution of electron microscopy. However, this technique involves complex sample preparation procedures due to its need for either thin sections or frozen samples for TEM imaging. Here, we introduce a novel correlative approach capable of imaging whole eukaryotic cells in liquid with fluorescence microscopy and with scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM); there is no additional sample preparation necessary for the electron microscopy. Quantum dots (QDs) were bound to epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors of COS7 fibroblast cells. Fixed whole cells in saline water were imaged with fluorescence microscopy and subsequently with STEM. The STEM images were correlated with fluorescence images of the same cellular regions. QDs of dimensions 7 × 12 nm were visible in a 5 μm thick layer of saline water, consistent with calculations. A spatial resolution of 3 nm was achieved on the QDs. PMID:20550177

Mesoporous MnCo2O4 with a flake-like structure as advanced electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors.

PubMed

Mondal, Anjon Kumar; Su, Dawei; Chen, Shuangqiang; Ung, Alison; Kim, Hyun-Soo; Wang, Guoxiu

2015-01-19

A mesoporous flake-like manganese-cobalt composite oxide (MnCo2O4) is synthesized successfully through the hydrothermal method. The crystalline phase and morphology of the materials are characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller methods. The flake-like MnCo2O4 is evaluated as the anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Owing to its mesoporous nature, it exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1066 mA h g(-1), good rate capability, and superior cycling stability. As an electrode material for supercapacitors, the flake-like MnCo2O4 also demonstrates a high supercapacitance of 1487 F g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1), and an exceptional cycling performance over 2000 charge/discharge cycles. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Unraveling irradiation induced grain growth with in situ transmission electron microscopy and coordinated modeling

DOE PAGES

Bufford, D. C.; Abdeljawad, F. F.; Foiles, S. M.; ...

2015-11-09

Here, nanostructuring has been proposed as a method to enhance radiation tolerance, but many metallic systems are rejected due to significant concerns regarding long term grain boundary and interface stability. This work utilized recent advancements in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to quantitatively characterize the grain size, texture, and individual grain boundary character in a nanocrystalline gold model system before and after in situ TEM ion irradiation with 10 MeV Si. The initial experimental measurements were fed into a mesoscale phase field model, which incorporates the role of irradiation-induced thermal events on boundary properties, to directly compare the observed and simulatedmore » grain growth with varied parameters. The observed microstructure evolution deviated subtly from previously reported normal grain growth in which some boundaries remained essentially static. In broader terms, the combined experimental and modeling techniques presented herein provide future avenues to enhance quantification and prediction of the thermal, mechanical, or radiation stability of grain boundaries in nanostructured crystalline systems.« less

The effect of SiO 2-doped boron nitride multiple coatings on mechanical properties of quartz fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yu; Wang, Shubin

2012-01-01

SiO2-doped boron nitride multiple coatings (SiO2/BN multiple coatings) were prepared on quartz fibers surface at 700 °C. Single fiber tensile test was employed to evaluate fiber tensile strength; Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) were employed to evaluate morphology and structure of the fibers. Fiber tensile test results indicated that the strength of quartz fibers with SiO2/BN multiple coatings was about twice of the fibers with BN coatings and original fibers which were heated at 700 °C for 10 h. The SiO2/BN multiple coatings would provide compressive stress on quartz fibers, which would help to seal the defects on fiber surface. Furthermore, TEM images showed that the nano-SiO2 powders crystallized in advance of quartz fibers, which would suppress crystallization of quartz fibers and reduce damage from crystallization. Thus, nano-SiO2 powders would help to keep mechanical properties of quartz fibers.

One dimensional metallic edges in atomically thin WSe2 induced by air exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Addou, Rafik; Smyth, Christopher M.; Noh, Ji-Young; Lin, Yu-Chuan; Pan, Yi; Eichfeld, Sarah M.; Fölsch, Stefan; Robinson, Joshua A.; Cho, Kyeongjae; Feenstra, Randall M.; Wallace, Robert M.

2018-04-01

Transition metal dichalcogenides are a unique class of layered two-dimensional (2D) crystals with extensive promising applications. Tuning the electronic properties of low-dimensional materials is vital for engineering new functionalities. Surface oxidation is of particular interest because it is a relatively simple method of functionalization. By means of scanning probe microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we report the observation of metallic edges in atomically thin WSe2 monolayers grown by chemical vapor deposition on epitaxial graphene. Scanning tunneling microscopy shows structural details of WSe2 edges and scanning tunneling spectroscopy reveals the metallic nature of the oxidized edges. Photoemission demonstrates that the formation of metallic sub-stoichiometric tungsten oxide (WO2.7) is responsible for the high conductivity measured along the edges. Ab initio calculations validate the susceptibility of WSe2 nanoribbon edges to oxidation. The zigzag terminated edge exhibits metallic behavior prior the air-exposure and remains metallic after oxidation. Comprehending and exploiting this property opens a new opportunity for application in advanced electronic devices.

Carbonaceous spheres—an unusual template for solid metal oxide mesoscale spheres: Application to ZnO spheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patrinoiu, Greta; Calderón-Moreno, Jose Maria; Culita, Daniela C.; Birjega, Ruxandra; Ene, Ramona; Carp, Oana

2013-06-01

A green template route for the synthesis of mesoscale solid ZnO spheres was ascertained. The protocol involves a double coating of the carbonaceous spheres with successive layers of zinc-containing species by alternating a non-ultrasound and ultrasound-assisted deposition, followed by calcination treatments. The composites were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy while the obtained ZnO spheres by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms and photoluminescence investigations. A growth mechanism of the solid spheres is advanced based on these results. While the spheres' diameters and the mean size values of ZnO are independent on deposition order, the surface area and the external porosity are fairly dependent. The photoluminescence measurements showed interesting emission features, with emission bands in the violet to orange region. The spheres present high photocatalytical activity towards the degradation of phenol under UV irradiation, the main reaction being its mineralization.

Dynamic observation on the growth behaviors in manganese silicide/silicon nanowire heterostructures.

PubMed

Hsieh, Yu-Hsun; Chiu, Chung-Hua; Huang, Chun-Wei; Chen, Jui-Yuan; Lin, Wan-Jhen; Wu, Wen-Wei

2015-02-07

Metal silicide nanowires (NWs) are very interesting materials with diverse physical properties. Among the silicides, manganese silicide nanostructures have attracted wide attention due to their several potential applications, including in microelectronics, optoelectronics, spintronics and thermoelectric devices. In this work, we exhibited the formation of pure manganese silicide and manganese silicide/silicon nanowire heterostructures through solid state reaction with line contacts between manganese pads and silicon NWs. Dynamical process and phase characterization were investigated by in situ transmission electron microscopy (in situ TEM) and spherical aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (Cs-corrected STEM), respectively. The growth dynamics of the manganese silicide phase under thermal effects were systematically studied. Additionally, Al2O3, serving as the surface oxide, altered the growth behavior of the MnSi nanowire, enhancing the silicide/Si epitaxial growth and effecting the diffusion process in the silicon nanowire as well. In addition to fundamental science, this significant study has great potential in advancing future processing techniques in nanotechnology and related applications.

Nanoscale infrared spectroscopy as a non-destructive probe of extraterrestrial samples.

PubMed

Dominguez, Gerardo; Mcleod, A S; Gainsforth, Zack; Kelly, P; Bechtel, Hans A; Keilmann, Fritz; Westphal, Andrew; Thiemens, Mark; Basov, D N

2014-12-09

Advances in the spatial resolution of modern analytical techniques have tremendously augmented the scientific insight gained from the analysis of natural samples. Yet, while techniques for the elemental and structural characterization of samples have achieved sub-nanometre spatial resolution, infrared spectral mapping of geochemical samples at vibrational 'fingerprint' wavelengths has remained restricted to spatial scales >10 μm. Nevertheless, infrared spectroscopy remains an invaluable contactless probe of chemical structure, details of which offer clues to the formation history of minerals. Here we report on the successful implementation of infrared near-field imaging, spectroscopy and analysis techniques capable of sub-micron scale mineral identification within natural samples, including a chondrule from the Murchison meteorite and a cometary dust grain (Iris) from NASA's Stardust mission. Complementary to scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy probes, this work evidences a similarity between chondritic and cometary materials, and inaugurates a new era of infrared nano-spectroscopy applied to small and invaluable extraterrestrial samples.

MICROSCOPIC USES OF NANOGOLD.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

HAINFELD,J.F.POWELL,R.D.FURUYA,F.R.

2003-04-17

Gold has been used for immunocytochemistry since 1971 when Faulk and Taylor discovered adsorption of antibodies to colloidal gold. It is an ideal label for electron microscopy (EM) due to its high atomic number, which scatters electrons efficiently, and the fact that preparative methods have been developed to make uniform particles in the appropriate size range of 5 to 30 nm. Use in light microscopy (LM) generally requires silver enhancement (autometallography; AMG) of these small gold particles. Significant advances in this field since that time have included a better understanding of the conditions for best antibody adsorption, more regular goldmore » size production, adsorption of other useful molecules, like protein A, and advances in silver enhancement. Many studies have also been accomplished showing the usefulness of these techniques to cell biology and biomedical research. A further advance in this field was the development of Nanogold{trademark}, a 1.4 nm gold cluster. A significant difference from colloidal gold is that Nanogold is actually a coordination compound containing a gold core covalently linked to surface organic groups. These in turn may be covalently attached to antibodies. This approach to immunolabeling has several advantages compared to colloidal gold such as vastly better penetration into tissues, generally greater sensitivity, and higher density of labeling. Since Nanogold is covalently coupled to antibodies, it may also be directly coupled to almost any protein, peptide, carbohydrate, or molecule of interest, including molecules which do not adsorb to colloidal gold. This increases the range of probes possible, and expands the applications of gold labeling.« less

Review of advanced imaging techniques

PubMed Central

Chen, Yu; Liang, Chia-Pin; Liu, Yang; Fischer, Andrew H.; Parwani, Anil V.; Pantanowitz, Liron

2012-01-01

Pathology informatics encompasses digital imaging and related applications. Several specialized microscopy techniques have emerged which permit the acquisition of digital images (“optical biopsies”) at high resolution. Coupled with fiber-optic and micro-optic components, some of these imaging techniques (e.g., optical coherence tomography) are now integrated with a wide range of imaging devices such as endoscopes, laparoscopes, catheters, and needles that enable imaging inside the body. These advanced imaging modalities have exciting diagnostic potential and introduce new opportunities in pathology. Therefore, it is important that pathology informaticists understand these advanced imaging techniques and the impact they have on pathology. This paper reviews several recently developed microscopic techniques, including diffraction-limited methods (e.g., confocal microscopy, 2-photon microscopy, 4Pi microscopy, and spatially modulated illumination microscopy) and subdiffraction techniques (e.g., photoactivated localization microscopy, stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy, and stimulated emission depletion microscopy). This article serves as a primer for pathology informaticists, highlighting the fundamentals and applications of advanced optical imaging techniques. PMID:22754737

Deep data mining in a real space: Separation of intertwined electronic responses in a lightly doped BaFe 2As 2

DOE PAGES

Ziatdinov, Maxim; Maksov, Artem; Li, Li; ...

2016-10-25

Electronic interactions present in material compositions close to the superconducting dome play a key role in the manifestation of high-T c superconductivity. In many correlated electron systems, however, the parent or underdoped states exhibit strongly inhomogeneous electronic landscape at the nanoscale that may be associated with competing, coexisting, or intertwined chemical disorder, strain, magnetic, and structural order parameters. Here we demonstrate an approach based on a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and advanced statistical learning for an automatic separation and extraction of statistically significant electronic behaviors in the spin density wave regime of a lightly (~1%) gold-doped BaFe 2As 2.more » Lastly, we show that the decomposed STS spectral features have a direct relevance to fundamental physical properties of the system, such as SDW-induced gap, pseudogap-like state, and impurity resonance states.« less

Deep data mining in a real space: Separation of intertwined electronic responses in a lightly doped BaFe 2As 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ziatdinov, Maxim; Maksov, Artem; Li, Li

Electronic interactions present in material compositions close to the superconducting dome play a key role in the manifestation of high-T c superconductivity. In many correlated electron systems, however, the parent or underdoped states exhibit strongly inhomogeneous electronic landscape at the nanoscale that may be associated with competing, coexisting, or intertwined chemical disorder, strain, magnetic, and structural order parameters. Here we demonstrate an approach based on a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and advanced statistical learning for an automatic separation and extraction of statistically significant electronic behaviors in the spin density wave regime of a lightly (~1%) gold-doped BaFe 2As 2.more » Lastly, we show that the decomposed STS spectral features have a direct relevance to fundamental physical properties of the system, such as SDW-induced gap, pseudogap-like state, and impurity resonance states.« less

Through a Window, Brightly: A Review of Selected Nanofabricated Thin-Film Platforms for Spectroscopy, Imaging, and Detection.

PubMed

Dwyer, Jason R; Harb, Maher

2017-09-01

We present a review of the use of selected nanofabricated thin films to deliver a host of capabilities and insights spanning bioanalytical and biophysical chemistry, materials science, and fundamental molecular-level research. We discuss approaches where thin films have been vital, enabling experimental studies using a variety of optical spectroscopies across the visible and infrared spectral range, electron microscopies, and related techniques such as electron energy loss spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and single molecule sensing. We anchor this broad discussion by highlighting two particularly exciting exemplars: a thin-walled nanofluidic sample cell concept that has advanced the discovery horizons of ultrafast spectroscopy and of electron microscopy investigations of in-liquid samples; and a unique class of thin-film-based nanofluidic devices, designed around a nanopore, with expansive prospects for single molecule sensing. Free-standing, low-stress silicon nitride membranes are a canonical structural element for these applications, and we elucidate the fabrication and resulting features-including mechanical stability, optical properties, X-ray and electron scattering properties, and chemical nature-of this material in this format. We also outline design and performance principles and include a discussion of underlying material preparations and properties suitable for understanding the use of alternative thin-film materials such as graphene.

Electron Tomography: A Three-Dimensional Analytic Tool for Hard and Soft Materials Research.

PubMed

Ercius, Peter; Alaidi, Osama; Rames, Matthew J; Ren, Gang

2015-10-14

Three-dimensional (3D) structural analysis is essential to understand the relationship between the structure and function of an object. Many analytical techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, neutron spectroscopy, and electron microscopy imaging, are used to provide structural information. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), one of the most popular analytic tools, has been widely used for structural analysis in both physical and biological sciences for many decades, in which 3D objects are projected into two-dimensional (2D) images. In many cases, 2D-projection images are insufficient to understand the relationship between the 3D structure and the function of nanoscale objects. Electron tomography (ET) is a technique that retrieves 3D structural information from a tilt series of 2D projections, and is gradually becoming a mature technology with sub-nanometer resolution. Distinct methods to overcome sample-based limitations have been separately developed in both physical and biological science, although they share some basic concepts of ET. This review discusses the common basis for 3D characterization, and specifies difficulties and solutions regarding both hard and soft materials research. It is hoped that novel solutions based on current state-of-the-art techniques for advanced applications in hybrid matter systems can be motivated. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Phases and interfaces from real space atomically resolved data: Physics-based deep data image analysis

DOE PAGES

Vasudevan, Rama K.; Ziatdinov, Maxim; Jesse, Stephen; ...

2016-08-12

Advances in electron and scanning probe microscopies have led to a wealth of atomically resolved structural and electronic data, often with ~1–10 pm precision. However, knowledge generation from such data requires the development of a physics-based robust framework to link the observed structures to macroscopic chemical and physical descriptors, including single phase regions, order parameter fields, interfaces, and structural and topological defects. Here, we develop an approach based on a synergy of sliding window Fourier transform to capture the local analog of traditional structure factors combined with blind linear unmixing of the resultant 4D data set. This deep data analysismore » is ideally matched to the underlying physics of the problem and allows reconstruction of the a priori unknown structure factors of individual components and their spatial localization. We demonstrate the principles of this approach using a synthetic data set and further apply it for extracting chemical and physically relevant information from electron and scanning tunneling microscopy data. Furthermore, this method promises to dramatically speed up crystallographic analysis in atomically resolved data, paving the road toward automatic local structure–property determinations in crystalline and quasi-ordered systems, as well as systems with competing structural and electronic order parameters.« less

Electron Tomography: A Three-Dimensional Analytic Tool for Hard and Soft Materials Research

PubMed Central

Alaidi, Osama; Rames, Matthew J.

2016-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) structural analysis is essential to understand the relationship between the structure and function of an object. Many analytical techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, neutron spectroscopy, and electron microscopy imaging, are used to provide structural information. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), one of the most popular analytic tools, has been widely used for structural analysis in both physical and biological sciences for many decades, in which 3D objects are projected into two-dimensional (2D) images. In many cases, 2D-projection images are insufficient to understand the relationship between the 3D structure and the function of nanoscale objects. Electron tomography (ET) is a technique that retrieves 3D structural information from a tilt series of 2D projections, and is gradually becoming a mature technology with sub-nanometer resolution. Distinct methods to overcome sample-based limitations have been separately developed in both physical and biological science, although they share some basic concepts of ET. This review discusses the common basis for 3D characterization, and specifies difficulties and solutions regarding both hard and soft materials research. It is hoped that novel solutions based on current state-of-the-art techniques for advanced applications in hybrid matter systems can be motivated. PMID:26087941

Electron Microscopy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beer, Michael

1980-01-01

Reviews technical aspects of structure determination in biological electron microscopy (EM). Discusses low dose EM, low temperature microscopy, electron energy loss spectra, determination of mass or molecular weight, and EM of labeled systems. Cites 34 references. (CS)

Effects of hydrogen on the structural and optical properties of MoSe2 grown by hot filament chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, B. B.; Zhu, M. K.; Levchenko, I.; Zheng, K.; Gao, B.; Xu, S.; Ostrikov, K.

2017-10-01

The role of reactive environment and hydrogen specifically in growth and structure of molybdenum selenide (MoSe2) nanomaterials is presently debated, and it is not clear whether hydrogen can promote the growth of MoSe2 sheets and alter their electronic properties. To find efficient, convenient methods for controlling the nucleation, growth and resultant properties of MoSe2 nanomaterials, MoSe2 nanoflakes were synthesized on silicon substrates by hot filament chemical vapor deposition using molybdenum trioxide and selenium powders in pure hydrogen, nitrogen gases and hydrogen-nitrogen mixtures. The structures and composition of synthesized MoSe2 nanoflakes were studied using the advanced characterization instruments including field emission scanning electron microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. The analysis of the growth process indicates that hydrogen can improve the formation of MoSe2 nanoflakes and significantly alter their properties due to the high reduction capacity of hydrogen and the creation of more nucleation centers of MoSe2 nanoflakes on the silicon surface. The study of photoluminescent (PL) properties reveals that the MoSe2 nanoflakes can generate a strong PL band at about 631 nm, differently from the plain MoSe2 nanoflakes. The major difference in the PL properties may be related to the edges of MoSe2 nanoflakes. These results can be used to control the growth and structure of MoSe2-based nanomaterials and contribute to the development of advanced MoSe2-based optoelectronic devices.

Imaging of endodontic biofilms by combined microscopy (FISH/cLSM - SEM).

PubMed

Schaudinn, C; Carr, G; Gorur, A; Jaramillo, D; Costerton, J W; Webster, P

2009-08-01

Scanning electron microscopy is a useful imaging approach for the visualization of bacterial biofilms in their natural environments including their medical and dental habitats, because it allows for the exploration of large surfaces with excellent resolution of topographic features. Most biofilms in nature, however, are embedded in a thick layer of extracellular matrix that prevents a clear identification of individual bacteria by scanning electron microscopy. The use of confocal laser scanning microscopy on the other hand in combination with fluorescence in situ hybridization enables the visualization of matrix embedded bacteria in multi-layered biofilms. In our study, fluorescence in situ hybridization/confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were applied to visualize bacterial biofilm in endodontic root canals. The resulting fluorescence in situ hybridization /confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy and pictures were subsequently combined into one single image to provide high-resolution information on the location of hidden bacteria. The combined use of scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence in situ hybridization / confocal laser scanning microscopy has the potential to overcome the limits of each single technique.

CMAS Interactions with Advanced Environmental Barrier Coatings Deposited via Plasma Spray- Physical Vapor Deposition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harder, B. J.; Wiesner, V. L.; Zhu, D.; Johnson, N. S.

2017-01-01

Materials for advanced turbine engines are expected to have temperature capabilities in the range of 1370-1500C. At these temperatures the ingestion of sand and dust particulate can result in the formation of corrosive glass deposits referred to as CMAS. The presence of this glass can both thermomechanically and thermochemically significantly degrade protective coatings on metallic and ceramic components. Plasma Spray- Physical Vapor Deposition (PS-PVD) was used to deposit advanced environmental barrier coating (EBC) systems for investigation on their interaction with CMAS compositions. Coatings were exposed to CMAS and furnace tested in air from 1 to 50 hours at temperatures ranging from 1200-1500C. Coating composition and crystal structure were tracked with X-ray diffraction and microstructure with electron microscopy.

Cryo-EM in drug discovery: achievements, limitations and prospects.

PubMed

Renaud, Jean-Paul; Chari, Ashwin; Ciferri, Claudio; Liu, Wen-Ti; Rémigy, Hervé-William; Stark, Holger; Wiesmann, Christian

2018-06-08

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) of non-crystalline single particles is a biophysical technique that can be used to determine the structure of biological macromolecules and assemblies. Historically, its potential for application in drug discovery has been heavily limited by two issues: the minimum size of the structures it can be used to study and the resolution of the images. However, recent technological advances - including the development of direct electron detectors and more effective computational image analysis techniques - are revolutionizing the utility of cryo-EM, leading to a burst of high-resolution structures of large macromolecular assemblies. These advances have raised hopes that single-particle cryo-EM might soon become an important tool for drug discovery, particularly if they could enable structural determination for 'intractable' targets that are still not accessible to X-ray crystallographic analysis. This article describes the recent advances in the field and critically assesses their relevance for drug discovery as well as discussing at what stages of the drug discovery pipeline cryo-EM can be useful today and what to expect in the near future.

New hardware and workflows for semi-automated correlative cryo-fluorescence and cryo-electron microscopy/tomography.

PubMed

Schorb, Martin; Gaechter, Leander; Avinoam, Ori; Sieckmann, Frank; Clarke, Mairi; Bebeacua, Cecilia; Bykov, Yury S; Sonnen, Andreas F-P; Lihl, Reinhard; Briggs, John A G

2017-02-01

Correlative light and electron microscopy allows features of interest defined by fluorescence signals to be located in an electron micrograph of the same sample. Rare dynamic events or specific objects can be identified, targeted and imaged by electron microscopy or tomography. To combine it with structural studies using cryo-electron microscopy or tomography, fluorescence microscopy must be performed while maintaining the specimen vitrified at liquid-nitrogen temperatures and in a dry environment during imaging and transfer. Here we present instrumentation, software and an experimental workflow that improves the ease of use, throughput and performance of correlated cryo-fluorescence and cryo-electron microscopy. The new cryo-stage incorporates a specially modified high-numerical aperture objective lens and provides a stable and clean imaging environment. It is combined with a transfer shuttle for contamination-free loading of the specimen. Optimized microscope control software allows automated acquisition of the entire specimen area by cryo-fluorescence microscopy. The software also facilitates direct transfer of the fluorescence image and associated coordinates to the cryo-electron microscope for subsequent fluorescence-guided automated imaging. Here we describe these technological developments and present a detailed workflow, which we applied for automated cryo-electron microscopy and tomography of various specimens. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scanning ultrafast electron microscopy

PubMed Central

Yang, Ding-Shyue; Mohammed, Omar F.; Zewail, Ahmed H.

2010-01-01

Progress has been made in the development of four-dimensional ultrafast electron microscopy, which enables space-time imaging of structural dynamics in the condensed phase. In ultrafast electron microscopy, the electrons are accelerated, typically to 200 keV, and the microscope operates in the transmission mode. Here, we report the development of scanning ultrafast electron microscopy using a field-emission-source configuration. Scanning of pulses is made in the single-electron mode, for which the pulse contains at most one or a few electrons, thus achieving imaging without the space-charge effect between electrons, and still in ten(s) of seconds. For imaging, the secondary electrons from surface structures are detected, as demonstrated here for material surfaces and biological specimens. By recording backscattered electrons, diffraction patterns from single crystals were also obtained. Scanning pulsed-electron microscopy with the acquired spatiotemporal resolutions, and its efficient heat-dissipation feature, is now poised to provide in situ 4D imaging and with environmental capability. PMID:20696933

Serial block face scanning electron microscopy--the future of cell ultrastructure imaging.

PubMed

Hughes, Louise; Hawes, Chris; Monteith, Sandy; Vaughan, Sue

2014-03-01

One of the major drawbacks in transmission electron microscopy has been the production of three-dimensional views of cells and tissues. Currently, there is no one suitable 3D microscopy technique that answers all questions and serial block face scanning electron microscopy (SEM) fills the gap between 3D imaging using high-end fluorescence microscopy and the high resolution offered by electron tomography. In this review, we discuss the potential of the serial block face SEM technique for studying the three-dimensional organisation of animal, plant and microbial cells.

The connectomics challenge

PubMed Central

Silvestri, Ludovico; Sacconi, Leonardo; Pavone, Francesco Saverio

Summary One of the most fascinating challenges in neuroscience is the reconstruction of the connectivity map of the brain. Recent years have seen a rapid expansion in the field of connectomics, whose aim is to trace this map and understand its relationship with neural computation. Many different approaches, ranging from electron and optical microscopy to magnetic resonance imaging, have been proposed to address the connectomics challenge on various spatial scales and in different species. Here, we review the main technological advances in the microscopy techniques applied to connectomics, highlighting the potential and limitations of the different methods. Finally, we briefly discuss the role of connectomics in the Human Brain Project, the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) Flagship recently approved by the European Commission. PMID:24139653

An introduction to optical super-resolution microscopy for the adventurous biologist

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vangindertael, J.; Camacho, R.; Sempels, W.; Mizuno, H.; Dedecker, P.; Janssen, K. P. F.

2018-04-01

Ever since the inception of light microscopy, the laws of physics have seemingly thwarted every attempt to visualize the processes of life at its most fundamental, sub-cellular, level. The diffraction limit has restricted our view to length scales well above 250 nm and in doing so, severely compromised our ability to gain true insights into many biological systems. Fortunately, continuous advancements in optics, electronics and mathematics have since provided the means to once again make physics work to our advantage. Even though some of the fundamental concepts enabling super-resolution light microscopy have been known for quite some time, practically feasible implementations have long remained elusive. It should therefore not come as a surprise that the 2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to the scientists who, each in their own way, contributed to transforming super-resolution microscopy from a technological tour de force to a staple of the biologist’s toolkit. By overcoming the diffraction barrier, light microscopy could once again be established as an indispensable tool in an age where the importance of understanding life at the molecular level cannot be overstated. This review strives to provide the aspiring life science researcher with an introduction to optical microscopy, starting from the fundamental concepts governing compound and fluorescent confocal microscopy to the current state-of-the-art of super-resolution microscopy techniques and their applications.

Applications of microscopy to genetic therapy of cystic fibrosis and other human diseases.

PubMed

Moninger, Thomas O; Nessler, Randy A; Moore, Kenneth C

2006-01-01

Gene therapy has become an extremely important and active field of biomedical research. Microscopy is an integral component of this effort. This chapter presents an overview of imaging techniques used in our facility in support of cystic fibrosis gene therapy research. Instrumentation used in these studies includes light and confocal microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Techniques outlined include negative staining, cryo-electron microscopy, three-dimentional reconstruction, enzyme cytochemistry, immunocytochemistry, and fluorescence imaging.

Application of environmental scanning electron microscopy to determine biological surface structure.

PubMed

Kirk, S E; Skepper, J N; Donald, A M

2009-02-01

The use of environmental scanning electron microscopy in biology is growing as more becomes understood about the advantages and limitations of the technique. These are discussed and we include new evidence about the effect of environmental scanning electron microscopy imaging on the viability of mammalian cells. We show that although specimen preparation for high-vacuum scanning electron microscopy introduces some artefacts, there are also challenges in the use of environmental scanning electron microscopy, particularly at higher resolutions. This suggests the two technologies are best used in combination. We have used human monocyte-derived macrophages as a test sample, imaging their complicated and delicate membrane ruffles and protrusions. We have also explored the possibility of using environmental scanning electron microscopy for dynamic experiments, finding that mammalian cells cannot be imaged and kept alive in the environmental scanning electron microscopy. The dehydration step in which the cell surface is exposed causes irreversible damage, probably via loss of membrane integrity during liquid removal in the specimen chamber. Therefore, mammalian cells should be imaged after fixation where possible to protect against damage as a result of chamber conditions.

Cancer nanomedicine: gold nanoparticle mediated combined cancer therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, C.; Bromma, Kyle; Chithrani, B. D.

2018-02-01

Recent developments in nanotechnology has provided new tools for cancer therapy and diagnosis. Among other nanomaterial systems, gold nanoparticles are being used as radiation dose enhancers and anticancer drug carriers in cancer therapy. Fate of gold nanoparticles within biological tissues can be probed using techniques such as TEM (transmission electron microscopy) and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) due to their high electron density. We have shown for the first time that cancer drug loaded gold nanoparticles can reach the nucleus (or the brain) of cancer cells enhancing the therapeutic effect dramatically. Nucleus of the cancer cells are the most desirable target in cancer therapy. In chemotherapy, smart delivery of highly toxic anticancer drugs through packaging using nanoparticles will reduce the side effects and improve the quality and care of cancer patients. In radiation therapy, use of gold nanoparticles as radiation dose enhancer is very promising due to enhanced localized dose within the cancer tissue. Recent advancement in nanomaterial characterization techniques will facilitate mapping of nanomaterial distribution within biological specimens to correlate the radiobiological effects due to treatment. Hence, gold nanoparticle mediated combined chemoradiation would provide promising tools to achieve personalized and tailored cancer treatments in the near future.

Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of biocompatible silver sulfide nanoworms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Ruimin; Liu, Shanhu; Tian, Shufang

2011-10-01

In this study, silver sulfide nanoworms were prepared via a rapid microwave-assisted hydrothermal method by reacting silver nitrate and thioacetamide in the aqueous solution of the Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) protein. The morphology, composition, and crystallinity of the nanoworms were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results show that the nanoworms were assembled by multiple adjacent Ag2S nanoparticles and stabilized by a layer of BSA attached to their surface. The nanoworms have the sizes of about 50 nm in diameter and hundreds of nanometers in length. The analyses of high-resolution TEM and their correlative Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) indicate that the adjacent Ag2S nanoparticles grow by misoriented attachment at the connective interfaces to form the nanoworm structure. In vitro assays on the human cervical cancer cell line HeLa show that the nanoworms exhibit good biocompatibility due to the presence of BSA coating. This combination of features makes the nanoworms attractive and promising building blocks for advanced materials and devices.

Growth of highly mesoporous CuCo2O4@C core-shell arrays as advanced electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Hailong; Lu, Yang; Zhu, Kejia; Peng, Tao; Liu, Xianming; Liu, Yunxin; Luo, Yongsong

2018-05-01

A series of CuCo2O4 nanostructures with different morphologies were prepared by a hydrothermal method in combination with thermal treatment. The morphology, structure and composition were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. As the electrode materials for supercapacitors, CuCo2O4 nanoneedles delivered the highest specific capacitance compared with other CuCo2O4 nanostructures. Electrochemical performance measurements demonstrate that the carbon layer can improve the electrochemical stability of CuCo2O4 nanoneedles. The CuCo2O4@C electrode exhibits a high specific capacitance of 1432.4 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1, with capacitance retention of 98.2% after 3000 circles. These characteristics of CuCo2O4@C composite are mainly due to the unique one dimensional needle-liked architecture and the conducting carbon, which provide a faster ion/electron transfer rate. These excellent performances of the CuCo2O4@C electrode confirmed the material as a positive electrode for hybrid supercapacitor application.

Transmission electron microscopy as a tool for nanocrystal characterization pre- and post-injector

PubMed Central

Stevenson, H. P.; DePonte, D. P.; Makhov, A. M.; Conway, James F.; Zeldin, O. B.; Boutet, S.; Calero, G.; Cohen, A. E.

2014-01-01

Recent advancements at the Linac Coherent Light Source X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) enabling successful serial femtosecond diffraction experiments using nanometre-sized crystals (NCs) have opened up the possibility of X-ray structure determination of proteins that produce only submicrometre crystals such as many membrane proteins. Careful crystal pre-characterization including compatibility testing of the sample delivery method is essential to ensure efficient use of the limited beamtime available at XFEL sources. This work demonstrates the utility of transmission electron microscopy for detecting and evaluating NCs within the carrier solutions of liquid injectors. The diffraction quality of these crystals may be assessed by examining the crystal lattice and by calculating the fast Fourier transform of the image. Injector reservoir solutions, as well as solutions collected post-injection, were evaluated for three types of protein NCs (i) the membrane protein PTHR1, (ii) the multi-protein complex Pol II-GFP and (iii) the soluble protein lysozyme. Our results indicate that the concentration and diffraction quality of NCs, particularly those with high solvent content and sensitivity to mechanical manipulation may be affected by the delivery process. PMID:24914151

Defect Clustering and Nano-phase Structure Characterization of Multicomponent Rare Earth-Oxide-Doped Zirconia-Yttria Thermal Barrier Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Chen, Yuan L.; Miller, Robert A.

2004-01-01

Advanced thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) have been developed by incorporating multicomponent rare earth oxide dopants into zirconia-based thermal barrier coatings to promote the creation of the thermodynamically stable, immobile oxide defect clusters and/or nanophases within the coating systems. In this paper, the defect clusters, induced by Nd, Gd, and Yb rare earth dopants in the zirconia-yttria thermal barrier coatings, were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TEM lattice imaging, selected area diffraction (SAD), and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) analyses demonstrated that the extensive nanoscale rare earth dopant segregation exists in the plasma-sprayed and electron-physical-vapor-deposited (EB PVD) thermal barrier coatings. The nanoscale concentration heterogeneity and the resulting large lattice distortion promoted the formation of parallel and rotational defective lattice clusters in the coating systems. The presence of the 5-to 100-nm-sized defect clusters and nanophases is believed to be responsible for the significant reduction of thermal conductivity, improved sintering resistance, and long-term high temperature stability of the advanced thermal barrier coating systems.

An optimized protocol for handling and processing fragile acini cultured with the hanging drop technique.

PubMed

Snyman, Celia; Elliott, Edith

2011-12-15

The hanging drop three-dimensional culture technique allows cultivation of functional three-dimensional mammary constructs without exogenous extracellular matrix. The fragile acini are, however, difficult to preserve during processing steps for advanced microscopic investigation. We describe adaptations to the protocol for handling of hanging drop cultures to include investigation using confocal, scanning, and electron microscopy, with minimal loss of cell culture components. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of Adsorbed Hydroxyl and Carbon Monoxide on Potential-Induced Reconstruction of Au(100) as Examined by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-02-01

years have witnessed substantial advances in our knowledge of metal reconstruction in electrochemical systems, primarily for low-index gold surfaces in...index gold surfaces, reconstruction can be formed or removed by applying electrode potentials corresponding to negative or positive electronic charge...potential and gold oxidation regions, for Au(100) in 0.1 M KOH, obtained in a conventional electrochemical cell (solid trace). The voltammetric

[Morphology, biology and life-cycle of Plasmodium parasites].

PubMed

Hommel, Marcel

2007-10-01

Laveran first discovered that an infectious agent was responsible for malaria by using a simple microscope, without the assistance of specific stains. Our knowledge of the Plasmodium life cycle and cellular biology has progressed with each technological advance, from Romanovsky staining and histology to electron microscopy, immunocytochemistry, molecular methods and modern imaging techniques. The use of bird, primate and rodent models also made a major contribution, notably in the development of antimalarial drugs that are still in use today.

Facilitation of Ferroelectric Switching via Mechanical Manipulation of Hierarchical Nanoscale Domain Structures.

PubMed

Chen, Zibin; Hong, Liang; Wang, Feifei; Ringer, Simon P; Chen, Long-Qing; Luo, Haosu; Liao, Xiaozhou

2017-01-06

Heterogeneous ferroelastic transition that produces hierarchical 90° tetragonal nanodomains via mechanical loading and its effect on facilitating ferroelectric domain switching in relaxor-based ferroelectrics were explored. Combining in situ electron microscopy characterization and phase-field modeling, we reveal the nature of the transition process and discover that the transition lowers by 40% the electrical loading threshold needed for ferroelectric domain switching. Our results advance the fundamental understanding of ferroelectric domain switching behavior.

Fully Hydrated Yeast Cells Imaged with Electron Microscopy

PubMed Central

Peckys, Diana B.; Mazur, Peter; Gould, Kathleen L.; de Jonge, Niels

2011-01-01

We demonstrate electron microscopy of fully hydrated eukaryotic cells with nanometer resolution. Living Schizosaccaromyces pombe cells were loaded in a microfluidic chamber and imaged in liquid with scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The native intracellular (ultra)structures of wild-type cells and three different mutants were studied without prior labeling, fixation, or staining. The STEM images revealed various intracellular components that were identified on the basis of their shape, size, location, and mass density. The maximal achieved spatial resolution in this initial study was 32 ± 8 nm, an order of magnitude better than achievable with light microscopy on pristine cells. Light-microscopy images of the same samples were correlated with the corresponding electron-microscopy images. Achieving synergy between the capabilities of light and electron microscopy, we anticipate that liquid STEM will be broadly applied to explore the ultrastructure of live cells. PMID:21575587

Fully hydrated yeast cells imaged with electron microscopy.

PubMed

Peckys, Diana B; Mazur, Peter; Gould, Kathleen L; de Jonge, Niels

2011-05-18

We demonstrate electron microscopy of fully hydrated eukaryotic cells with nanometer resolution. Living Schizosaccharomyces pombe cells were loaded in a microfluidic chamber and imaged in liquid with scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The native intracellular (ultra)structures of wild-type cells and three different mutants were studied without prior labeling, fixation, or staining. The STEM images revealed various intracellular components that were identified on the basis of their shape, size, location, and mass density. The maximal achieved spatial resolution in this initial study was 32 ± 8 nm, an order of magnitude better than achievable with light microscopy on pristine cells. Light-microscopy images of the same samples were correlated with the corresponding electron-microscopy images. Achieving synergy between the capabilities of light and electron microscopy, we anticipate that liquid STEM will be broadly applied to explore the ultrastructure of live cells. Copyright © 2011 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using advanced electron microscopy for the characterization of catalytic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pyrz, William D.

Catalysis will continue to be vitally important to the advancement and sustainability of industrialized societies. Unfortunately, the petroleum-based resources that currently fuel the energy and consumer product needs of an advancing society are becoming increasingly difficult and expensive to extract as supplies diminish and the quality of sources degrade. Therefore, the development of sustainable energy sources and the improvement of the carbon efficiency of existing chemical processes are critical. Further challenges require that these initiatives are accomplished in an environmentally friendly fashion since the effects of carbon-based emissions are proving to be a serious threat to global climate stability. In this dissertation, materials being developed for sustainable energy and process improvement initiatives are studied. Our approach is to use materials characterization, namely advanced electron microscopy, to analyze the targeted systems at the nano- or Angstrom-scale with the goal of developing useful relationships between structure, composition, crystalline order, morphology, and catalytic performance. One area of interest is the complex Mo-V-M-O (M=Te, Sb, Ta, Nb) oxide system currently being developed for the selective oxidation/ammoxidation of propane to acrylic acid or acrylonitrile, respectively. Currently, the production of acrylic acid and acrylonitrile rely on propylene-based processes, yet significant cost savings could be realized if the olefin-based feeds could be replaced by paraffin-based ones. The major challenge preventing this feedstock replacement is the development of a suitable paraffin-activating catalyst. Currently, the best candidate is the Mo-V-Nb-Te-O complex oxide catalyst that is composed of two majority phases that are commonly referred to as M1 and M2. However, there is a limited understanding of the roles of each component with respect to how they contribute to catalyst stability and the reaction mechanism. Aberration-corrected electron microscopy was used to systematically examine, atomic column by atomic column, the effect of elemental substitution on the long-range crystalline order, atomic coordinates, and site occupancies of the various formulations such that trends could be developed linking these properties to catalytic yields. To accomplish this task, an algorithm was developed that enabled the direct extraction of atomic coordinates and site occupancies from high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) images to within 1% and 15% uncertainty, respectively. Furthermore, this general method could be applied to various crystalline systems and may dramatically improve the quality of initial structural models used in Rietveld refinements. Improvement in the quality of starting models may increase the structural and chemical complexity of inorganic structures that can be solved by using "powder methods" alone. In addition to the development of these trends, HAADF analyses also revealed the presence of coherent compositional miscibility gaps, rotational twin domains, and structural intergrowths in the complex Mo-V-M-O oxide system. Other catalytic systems that are addressed in this dissertation include Pd, Ag, and bimetallic Pd-Ag catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of acetylene in excess ethylene, alkali and alkaline earth promoted Ru catalysts for the production of clean hydrogen through the decomposition of ammonia, the production of Pt nanoparticles using dendrimer templates, and Pt-Re bimetallic catalysts for the conversion of glycerol to hydrocarbons and syn gas. In each of these studies, electron microscopy was used as a complimentary tool to synthetic and reaction studies to better understand interactions between the nanoparticles and the support/template, to determine the effect of adding various promoters, or to understand the nanoscale structural and chemical changes associated with the formation of bimetallic nanoparticles. A final area addressed in this dissertation is the interaction between the electron beam and the specimen. In one particular study directed toward the characterization of Ni-Bi nanomaterials, it was discovered that exposure to an intense electron beam initiated particle fragmentation that led to the formation of a field of nanoparticles. Subsequent microscopy studies of the resulting nanoparticle field revealed bimetallic nanoparticles, core-shell structures, Angstrom-scale atomic clusters, and individual atoms that decorated the surrounding carbon substrate. The identification of these structures along with the analysis of the parent material enabled the development of a fragmentation mechanism.

Yeast cytochrome c integrated with electronic elements: a nanoscopic and spectroscopic study down to single-molecule level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delfino, I.; Bonanni, B.; Andolfi, L.; Baldacchini, C.; Bizzarri, A. R.; Cannistraro, S.

2007-06-01

Various aspects of redox protein integration with nano-electronic elements are addressed by a multi-technique investigation of different yeast cytochrome c (YCC)-based hybrid systems. Three different immobilization strategies on gold via organic linkers are explored, involving either covalent bonding or electrostatic interaction. Specifically, Au surfaces are chemically modified by self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) exposing thiol-reactive groups, or by acid-oxidized single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Atomic force microscopy and scanning tunnelling microscopy are employed to characterize the morphology and the electronic properties of single YCC molecules adsorbed on the modified gold surfaces. In each hybrid system, the protein molecules are stably assembled, in a native configuration. A standing-up arrangement of YCC on SAMs is suggested, together with an enhancement of the molecular conduction, as compared to YCC directly assembled on gold. The electrostatic interaction with functionalized SWNTs allows several YCC adsorption geometries, with a preferential high-spin haem configuration, as outlined by Raman spectroscopy. Moreover, the conduction properties of YCC, explored in different YCC nanojunctions by conductive atomic force microscopy, indicate the effectiveness of electrical conduction through the molecule and its dependence on the electrode material. The joint employment of several techniques confirms the key role of a well-designed immobilization strategy, for optimizing biorecognition capabilities and electrical coupling with conductive substrates at the single-molecule level, as a starting point for advanced applications in nano-biotechnology.

Microfluidic device for a rapid immobilization of zebrafish larvae in environmental scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Akagi, Jin; Zhu, Feng; Skommer, Joanna; Hall, Chris J; Crosier, Philip S; Cialkowski, Michal; Wlodkowic, Donald

2015-03-01

Small vertebrate model organisms have recently gained popularity as attractive experimental models that enhance our understanding of human tissue and organ development. Despite a large body of evidence using optical spectroscopy for the characterization of small model organism on chip-based devices, no attempts have been so far made to interface microfabricated technologies with environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). Conventional scanning electron microscopy requires high vacuum environments and biological samples must be, therefore, submitted to many preparative procedures to dehydrate, fix, and subsequently stain the sample with gold-palladium deposition. This process is inherently low-throughput and can introduce many analytical artifacts. This work describes a proof-of-concept microfluidic chip-based system for immobilizing zebrafish larvae for ESEM imaging that is performed in a gaseous atmosphere, under low vacuum mode and without any need for sample staining protocols. The microfabricated technology provides a user-friendly and simple interface to perform ESEM imaging on zebrafish larvae. Presented lab-on-a-chip device was fabricated using a high-speed infrared laser micromachining in a biocompatible poly(methyl methacrylate) thermoplastic. It consisted of a reservoir with multiple semispherical microwells designed to hold the yolk of dechorionated zebrafish larvae. Immobilization of the larvae was achieved by a gentle suction generated during blotting of the medium. Trapping region allowed for multiple specimens to be conveniently positioned on the chip-based device within few minutes for ESEM imaging. © 2014 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

Orientational imaging of a single plasmonic nanoparticle using dark-field hyperspectral imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehta, Nishir; Mahigir, Amirreza; Veronis, Georgios; Gartia, Manas Ranjan

2017-08-01

Orientation of plasmonic nanostructures is an important feature in many nanoscale applications such as catalyst, biosensors DNA interactions, protein detections, hotspot of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and fluorescence resonant energy transfer (FRET) experiments. However, due to diffraction limit, it is challenging to obtain the exact orientation of the nanostructure using standard optical microscope. Hyperspectral Imaging Microscopy is a state-of-the-art visualization technology that combines modern optics with hyperspectral imaging and computer system to provide the identification and quantitative spectral analysis of nano- and microscale structures. In this work, initially we use transmitted dark field imaging technique to locate single nanoparticle on a glass substrate. Then we employ hyperspectral imaging technique at the same spot to investigate orientation of single nanoparticle. No special tagging or staining of nanoparticle has been done, as more likely required in traditional microscopy techniques. Different orientations have been identified by carefully understanding and calibrating shift in spectral response from each different orientations of similar sized nanoparticles. Wavelengths recorded are between 300 nm to 900 nm. The orientations measured by hyperspectral microscopy was validated using finite difference time domain (FDTD) electrodynamics calculations and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The combination of high resolution nanometer-scale imaging techniques and the modern numerical modeling capacities thus enables a meaningful advance in our knowledge of manipulating and fabricating shaped nanostructures. This work will advance our understanding of the behavior of small nanoparticle clusters useful for sensing, nanomedicine, and surface sciences.

Recent Advances in Fiber Lasers for Nonlinear Microscopy

PubMed Central

Xu, C.; Wise, F. W.

2013-01-01

Nonlinear microscopy techniques developed over the past two decades have provided dramatic new capabilities for biological imaging. The initial demonstrations of nonlinear microscopies coincided with the development of solid-state femtosecond lasers, which continue to dominate applications of nonlinear microscopy. Fiber lasers offer attractive features for biological and biomedical imaging, and recent advances are leading to high-performance sources with the potential for robust, inexpensive, integrated instruments. This article discusses recent advances, and identifies challenges and opportunities for fiber lasers in nonlinear bioimaging. PMID:24416074

MICRO/NANO-STRUCTURAL EXAMINATION AND FISSION PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION IN NEUTRON IRRADIATED AGR-1 TRISO FUEL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

van Rooyen, I. J.; Lillo, T. M.; Wen, H. M.

Advanced microscopic and microanalysis techniques were developed and applied to study irradiation effects and fission product behavior in selected low-enriched uranium oxide/uranium carbide TRISO-coated particles from fuel compacts in six capsules irradiated to burnups of 11.2 to 19.6% FIMA. Although no TRISO coating failures were detected during the irradiation, the fraction of Ag-110m retained in individual particles often varied considerably within a single compact and at the capsule level. At the capsule level Ag-110m release fractions ranged from 1.2 to 38% and within a single compact, silver release from individual particles often spanned a range that extended from 100% retentionmore » to nearly 100% release. In this paper, selected irradiated particles from Baseline, Variant 1 and Variant 3 type fueled TRISO coated particles were examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy, Atom Probe Tomography; Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy; Precession Electron Diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM), High Resolution Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) examinations and Electron Probe Micro-Analyzer. Particle selection in this study allowed for comparison of the fission product distribution with Ag retention, fuel type and irradiation level. Nano sized Ag-containing features were predominantly identified in SiC grain boundaries and/or triple points in contrast with only two sitings of Ag inside a SiC grain in two different compacts (Baseline and Variant 3 fueled compacts). STEM and HRTEM analysis showed evidence of Ag and Pd co-existence in some cases and it was found that fission product precipitates can consist of multiple or single phases. STEM analysis also showed differences in precipitate compositions between Baseline and Variant 3 fuels. A higher density of fission product precipitate clusters were identified in the SiC layer in particles from the Variant 3 compact compared with the Variant 1 compact. Trend analysis shows precipitates were randomly distributed along the perimeter of the IPyC-SiC interlayer but only weakly associated with kernel protrusion and buffer fractures. There has been no evidence that the general release of silver is related to cracks or significant degradation of the microstructure. The results presented in this paper provide new insights to Ag transport mechanism(s) in intact SiC layer of TRISO coated particles.« less

Large-angle illumination STEM: Toward three-dimensional atom-by-atom imaging

DOE PAGES

Ishikawa, Ryo; Lupini, Andrew R.; Hinuma, Yoyo; ...

2014-11-26

To completely understand and control materials and their properties, it is of critical importance to determine their atomic structures in all three dimensions. Recent revolutionary advances in electron optics – the inventions of geometric and chromatic aberration correctors as well as electron source monochromators – have provided fertile ground for performing optical depth sectioning at atomic-scale dimensions. In this study we theoretically demonstrate the imaging of top/sub-surface atomic structures and identify the depth of single dopants, single vacancies and the other point defects within materials by large-angle illumination scanning transmission electron microscopy (LAI-STEM). The proposed method also allows us tomore » measure specimen properties such as thickness or three-dimensional surface morphology using observations from a single crystallographic orientation.« less

Dynamical backaction cooling with free electrons

PubMed Central

Niguès, A.; Siria, A.; Verlot, P.

2015-01-01

The ability to cool single ions, atomic ensembles, and more recently macroscopic degrees of freedom down to the quantum ground state has generated considerable progress and perspectives in fundamental and technological science. These major advances have been essentially obtained by coupling mechanical motion to a resonant electromagnetic degree of freedom in what is generally known as laser cooling. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the first self-induced coherent cooling mechanism that is not mediated by an electromagnetic resonance. Using a focused electron beam, we report a 50-fold reduction of the motional temperature of a nanowire. Our result primarily relies on the sub-nanometre confinement of the electron beam and generalizes to any delayed and spatially confined interaction, with important consequences for near-field microscopy and fundamental nanoscale dissipation mechanisms. PMID:26381454

DNA extraction on bio-chip: history and preeminence over conventional and solid-phase extraction methods.

PubMed

Ayoib, Adilah; Hashim, Uda; Gopinath, Subash C B; Md Arshad, M K

2017-11-01

This review covers a developmental progression on early to modern taxonomy at cellular level following the advent of electron microscopy and the advancement in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction for expatiation of biological classification at DNA level. Here, we discuss the fundamental values of conventional chemical methods of DNA extraction using liquid/liquid extraction (LLE) followed by development of solid-phase extraction (SPE) methods, as well as recent advances in microfluidics device-based system for DNA extraction on-chip. We also discuss the importance of DNA extraction as well as the advantages over conventional chemical methods, and how Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) system plays a crucial role for the future achievements.

Atomic Layer Deposition of Rhenium Disulfide.

PubMed

Hämäläinen, Jani; Mattinen, Miika; Mizohata, Kenichiro; Meinander, Kristoffer; Vehkamäki, Marko; Räisänen, Jyrki; Ritala, Mikko; Leskelä, Markku

2018-06-01

2D materials research is advancing rapidly as various new "beyond graphene" materials are fabricated, their properties studied, and materials tested in various applications. Rhenium disulfide is one of the 2D transition metal dichalcogenides that has recently shown to possess extraordinary properties such as that it is not limited by the strict monolayer thickness requirements. The unique inherent decoupling of monolayers in ReS 2 combined with a direct bandgap and highly anisotropic properties makes ReS 2 one of the most interesting 2D materials for a plethora of applications. Here, a highly controllable and precise atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique is applied to deposit ReS 2 thin films. Film growth is demonstrated on large area (5 cm × 5 cm) substrates at moderate deposition temperatures between 120 and 500 °C, and the films are extensively characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry using grazing incidence, atomic force microscopy, focused ion beam/transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and time-of-flight elastic recoil detection analysis techniques. The developed ReS 2 ALD process highlights the potential of the material for applications beyond planar structure architectures. The ALD process also offers a route to an upgrade to an industrial scale. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Polarization Control via He-Ion Beam Induced Nanofabrication in Layered Ferroelectric Semiconductors

DOE PAGES

Belianinov, Alex; Iberi, Vighter; Tselev, Alexander; ...

2016-02-23

Rapid advanced in nanoscience rely on continuous improvements of matter manipulation at near atomic scales. Currently, well characterized, robust, resist-based lithography carries the brunt of the nanofabrication process. However, use of local electron, ion and physical probe methods is also expanding, driven largely by their ability to fabricate without the multi-step preparation processes that can result in contamination from resists and solvents. Furthermore, probe based methods extend beyond nanofabrication to nanomanipulation and imaging, vital ingredients to rapid transition to prototyping and testing of layered 2D heterostructured devices. In this work we demonstrate that helium ion interaction, in a Helium Ionmore » Microscope (HIM), with the surface of bulk copper indium thiophosphate CuM IIIP 2X 6 (M = Cr, In; X= S, Se), (CITP) results in the control of ferroelectric domains, and growth of cylindrical nanostructures with enhanced conductivity; with material volumes scaling with the dosage of the beam. The nanostructures are oxygen rich, sulfur poor, and with the copper concentration virtually unchanged as confirmed by Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) imaging contrast as well as Scanning Microwave Microscopy (SMM) measurements suggest enhanced conductivity in the formed particle, whereas Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) measurements indicate that the produced structures have lower dissipation and a lower Young s modulus.« less

Demonstration of transmission high energy electron microscopy

DOE PAGES

Merrill, F. E.; Goett, J.; Gibbs, J. W.; ...

2018-04-06

High energy electrons have been used to investigate an extension of transmission electron microscopy. This technique, transmission high energy electron microscopy (THEEM), provides two additional capabilities to electron microscopy. First, high energy electrons are more penetrating than low energy electrons, and thus, they are able to image through thicker samples. Second, the accelerating mode of a radio-frequency linear accelerator provides fast exposures, down to 1 ps, which are ideal for flash radiography, making THEEM well suited to study the evolution of fast material processes under dynamic conditions. Lastly, initial investigations with static objects and during material processing have been performedmore » to investigate the capabilities of this technique.« less

Introduction: A Symposium in Honor of Professor Sir John Meurig Thomas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gai, P. L.; Saka, H.; Tomokiyo, Y.; Boyes, E. D.

2002-02-01

This issue is dedicated to Professor Sir John Meurig Thomas for his renowned contributions to electron microscopy in the chemical sciences. It is a collection of peer-reviewed leading articles in electron microscopy, based on the presentations at the Microscopy and Microanalysis (M&M) 2000 symposium, which was held to honor Professor Thomas's exceptional scientific leadership and wide-ranging fundamental contributions in the chemical applications of electron microscopy.The issue contains key papers by leading international researchers on the recent developments and applications of electron microscopy in the solid state and liquid state sciences. They include synthesis and characterization of silicon nitride nanorods, nanostructures of amorphous silica, electron microscopy studies of nanoscale structure and chemistry of Pt-Ru electrocatalysts of interest in direct methanol fuel cells, development of in situ wet-environmental transmission electron microscopy for the first nanoscale studies of dynamic liquid-catalyst reactions, strain analysis of silicon by finite element method and energy filtering convergent beam electron diffraction, applications of chemistry with electron microscopy, bismuth nanowires for applications in nanoelectronics technology, synthesis and characterization of quantum dots for superlattices and in situ electron microscopy at very high temperatures to study the motion of W5Si3 on [alpha][beta]-SiN3 substrates.We thank all the participants, including the invited speakers, contributors, and session chairs, who made the symposium successful. We also thank the authors and reviewers of the papers who worked assiduously towards the publication of this issue.We are very grateful to the Microscopy Society of America (MSA) for providing the opportunity to honor Professor Sir John Meurig Thomas. Organizational support from the MSA is also gratefully acknowledged.We thank Charles E. Lyman, editor in chief of Microscopy and Microanalysis for coordinating the publication of this issue and the entire journal staff for their efforts.

Nanofabrication by advanced electron microscopy using intense and focused beam∗.

PubMed

Furuya, Kazuo

2008-01-01

The nanogrowth and nanofabrication of solid substances using an intense and focused electron beam are reviewed in terms of the application of scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM and STEM) to control the size, position and structure of nanomaterials. The first example discussed is the growth of freestanding nanotrees on insulator substrates by TEM. The growth process of the nanotrees was observed in situ and analyzed by high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) and was mainly controlled by the intensity of the electron beam. The second example is position- and size-controlled nanofabrication by STEM using a focused electron beam. The diameters of the nanostructures grown ranged from 4 to 20 nm depending on the size of the electron beam. Magnetic nanostructures were also obtained using an iron-containing precursor gas, Fe(CO) 5 . The freestanding iron nanoantennas were examined by electron holography. The magnetic field was observed to leak from the nanostructure body which appeared to act as a 'nanomagnet'. The third example described is the effect of a vacuum on the size and growth process of fabricated nanodots containing W in an ultrahigh-vacuum field-emission TEM (UHV-FE-TEM). The size of the dots can be controlled by changing the dose of electrons and the partial pressure of the precursor. The smallest particle size obtained was about 1.5 nm in diameter, which is the smallest size reported using this method. Finally, the importance of a smaller probe and a higher electron-beam current with atomic resolution is emphasized and an attempt to develop an ultrahigh-vacuum spherical aberration corrected STEM (Cs-corrected STEM) at NIMS is reported.

Nanofabrication by advanced electron microscopy using intense and focused beam∗

PubMed Central

Furuya, Kazuo

2008-01-01

The nanogrowth and nanofabrication of solid substances using an intense and focused electron beam are reviewed in terms of the application of scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM and STEM) to control the size, position and structure of nanomaterials. The first example discussed is the growth of freestanding nanotrees on insulator substrates by TEM. The growth process of the nanotrees was observed in situ and analyzed by high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) and was mainly controlled by the intensity of the electron beam. The second example is position- and size-controlled nanofabrication by STEM using a focused electron beam. The diameters of the nanostructures grown ranged from 4 to 20 nm depending on the size of the electron beam. Magnetic nanostructures were also obtained using an iron-containing precursor gas, Fe(CO)5. The freestanding iron nanoantennas were examined by electron holography. The magnetic field was observed to leak from the nanostructure body which appeared to act as a ‘nanomagnet’. The third example described is the effect of a vacuum on the size and growth process of fabricated nanodots containing W in an ultrahigh-vacuum field-emission TEM (UHV-FE-TEM). The size of the dots can be controlled by changing the dose of electrons and the partial pressure of the precursor. The smallest particle size obtained was about 1.5 nm in diameter, which is the smallest size reported using this method. Finally, the importance of a smaller probe and a higher electron-beam current with atomic resolution is emphasized and an attempt to develop an ultrahigh-vacuum spherical aberration corrected STEM (Cs-corrected STEM) at NIMS is reported. PMID:27877936

Atomistic origin of an ordered superstructure induced superconductivity in layered chalcogenides.

PubMed

Ang, R; Wang, Z C; Chen, C L; Tang, J; Liu, N; Liu, Y; Lu, W J; Sun, Y P; Mori, T; Ikuhara, Y

2015-01-27

Interplay among various collective electronic states such as charge density wave and superconductivity is of tremendous significance in low-dimensional electron systems. However, the atomistic and physical nature of the electronic structures underlying the interplay of exotic states, which is critical to clarifying its effect on remarkable properties of the electron systems, remains elusive, limiting our understanding of the superconducting mechanism. Here, we show evidence that an ordering of selenium and sulphur atoms surrounding tantalum within star-of-David clusters can boost superconductivity in a layered chalcogenide 1T-TaS2-xSex, which undergoes a superconducting transition in the nearly commensurate charge density wave phase. Advanced electron microscopy investigations reveal that such an ordered superstructure forms only in the x area, where the superconductivity manifests, and is destructible to the occurrence of the Mott metal-insulator transition. The present findings provide a novel dimension in understanding the relationship between lattice and electronic degrees of freedom.

Zernike Phase Contrast Electron Cryo-Tomography Applied to Marine Cyanobacteria Infected with Cyanophages

PubMed Central

Dai, Wei; Fu, Caroline; Khant, Htet A.; Ludtke, Steven J.; Schmid, Michael F.; Chiu, Wah

2015-01-01

Advances in electron cryo-tomography have provided a new opportunity to visualize the internal 3D structures of a bacterium. An electron microscope equipped with Zernike phase contrast optics produces images with dramatically increased contrast compared to images obtained by conventional electron microscopy. Here we describe a protocol to apply Zernike phase plate technology for acquiring electron tomographic tilt series of cyanophage-infected cyanobacterial cells embedded in ice, without staining or chemical fixation. We detail the procedures for aligning and assessing phase plates for data collection, and methods to obtain 3D structures of cyanophage assembly intermediates in the host, by subtomogram alignment, classification and averaging. Acquiring three to four tomographic tilt series takes approximately 12 h on a JEM2200FS electron microscope. We expect this time requirement to decrease substantially as the technique matures. Time required for annotation and subtomogram averaging varies widely depending on the project goals and data volume. PMID:25321408

Interference experiment with asymmetric double slit by using 1.2-MV field emission transmission electron microscope.

PubMed

Harada, Ken; Akashi, Tetsuya; Niitsu, Kodai; Shimada, Keiko; Ono, Yoshimasa A; Shindo, Daisuke; Shinada, Hiroyuki; Mori, Shigeo

2018-01-17

Advanced electron microscopy technologies have made it possible to perform precise double-slit interference experiments. We used a 1.2-MV field emission electron microscope providing coherent electron waves and a direct detection camera system enabling single-electron detections at a sub-second exposure time. We developed a method to perform the interference experiment by using an asymmetric double-slit fabricated by a focused ion beam instrument and by operating the microscope under a "pre-Fraunhofer" condition, different from the Fraunhofer condition of conventional double-slit experiments. Here, pre-Fraunhofer condition means that each single-slit observation was performed under the Fraunhofer condition, while the double-slit observations were performed under the Fresnel condition. The interference experiments with each single slit and with the asymmetric double slit were carried out under two different electron dose conditions: high-dose for calculation of electron probability distribution and low-dose for each single electron distribution. Finally, we exemplified the distribution of single electrons by color-coding according to the above three types of experiments as a composite image.

A correlative optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy approach to locating nanoparticles in brain tumors.

PubMed

Kempen, Paul J; Kircher, Moritz F; de la Zerda, Adam; Zavaleta, Cristina L; Jokerst, Jesse V; Mellinghoff, Ingo K; Gambhir, Sanjiv S; Sinclair, Robert

2015-01-01

The growing use of nanoparticles in biomedical applications, including cancer diagnosis and treatment, demands the capability to exactly locate them within complex biological systems. In this work a correlative optical and scanning electron microscopy technique was developed to locate and observe multi-modal gold core nanoparticle accumulation in brain tumor models. Entire brain sections from mice containing orthotopic brain tumors injected intravenously with nanoparticles were imaged using both optical microscopy to identify the brain tumor, and scanning electron microscopy to identify the individual nanoparticles. Gold-based nanoparticles were readily identified in the scanning electron microscope using backscattered electron imaging as bright spots against a darker background. This information was then correlated to determine the exact location of the nanoparticles within the brain tissue. The nanoparticles were located only in areas that contained tumor cells, and not in the surrounding healthy brain tissue. This correlative technique provides a powerful method to relate the macro- and micro-scale features visible in light microscopy with the nanoscale features resolvable in scanning electron microscopy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electron transport in single molecules: from benzene to graphene.

PubMed

Chen, F; Tao, N J

2009-03-17

Electron movement within and between molecules--that is, electron transfer--is important in many chemical, electrochemical, and biological processes. Recent advances, particularly in scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM), scanning-tunneling microscopy (STM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM), permit the study of electron movement within single molecules. In this Account, we describe electron transport at the single-molecule level. We begin by examining the distinction between electron transport (from semiconductor physics) and electron transfer (a more general term referring to electron movement between donor and acceptor). The relation between these phenomena allows us to apply our understanding of single-molecule electron transport between electrodes to a broad range of other electron transfer processes. Electron transport is most efficient when the electron transmission probability via a molecule reaches 100%; the corresponding conductance is then 2e(2)/h (e is the charge of the electron and h is the Planck constant). This ideal conduction has been observed in a single metal atom and a string of metal atoms connected between two electrodes. However, the conductance of a molecule connected to two electrodes is often orders of magnitude less than the ideal and strongly depends on both the intrinsic properties of the molecule and its local environment. Molecular length, means of coupling to the electrodes, the presence of conjugated double bonds, and the inclusion of possible redox centers (for example, ferrocene) within the molecular wire have a pronounced effect on the conductance. This complex behavior is responsible for diverse chemical and biological phenomena and is potentially useful for device applications. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) afford unique insight into electron transport in single molecules. The simplest one, benzene, has a conductance much less than 2e(2)/h due to its large LUMO-HOMO gap. At the other end of the spectrum, graphene sheets and carbon nanotubes--consisting of infinite numbers of aromatic rings--have small or even zero energy gaps between the conduction and valence bands. Between these two limits are intermediate molecules with rich properties, such as perylene derivatives made of seven aromatic rings; the properties of these types of molecules have yet to be fully explored. Studying PAHs is important not only in answering fundamental questions about electron transport but also in the ongoing quest for molecular-scale electronic devices. This line of research also helps bridge the gap between electron transfer phenomena in small redox molecules and electron transport properties in nanostructures.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Buck, E.C.; Dietz, N.L.; Bates, J.K.

Uranium contaminated soils from the Fernald Operation Site, Ohio, have been examined by a combination of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with backscattered electron detection (SEM/BSE), and analytical electron microscopy (AEM). A method is described for preparing of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) thin sections by ultramicrotomy. By using these thin sections, SEM and TEM images can be compared directly. Uranium was found in iron oxides, silicates (soddyite), phosphates (autunites), and fluorite. Little uranium was associated with clays. The distribution of uranium phases was found to be inhomogeneous at the microscopic level.

Electron Microscopy of Ebola Virus-Infected Cells.

PubMed

Noda, Takeshi

2017-01-01

Ebola virus (EBOV) replicates in host cells, where both viral and cellular components show morphological changes during the process of viral replication from entry to budding. These steps in the replication cycle can be studied using electron microscopy (EM), including transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which is one of the most useful methods for visualizing EBOV particles and EBOV-infected cells at the ultrastructural level. This chapter describes conventional methods for EM sample preparation of cultured cells infected with EBOV.

A direct electron detector for time-resolved MeV electron microscopy

DOE PAGES

Vecchione, T.; Denes, P.; Jobe, R. K.; ...

2017-03-15

The introduction of direct electron detectors enabled the structural biology revolution of cryogenic electron microscopy. Direct electron detectors are now expected to have a similarly dramatic impact on time-resolved MeV electron microscopy, particularly by enabling both spatial and temporal jitter correction. Here in this paper, we report on the commissioning of a direct electron detector for time-resolved MeV electron microscopy. The direct electron detector demonstrated MeV single electron sensitivity and is capable of recording megapixel images at 180 Hz. The detector has a 15-bit dynamic range, better than 30-μm spatial resolution and less than 20 analogue-to-digital converter count RMS pixelmore » noise. The unique capabilities of the direct electron detector and the data analysis required to take advantage of these capabilities are presented. The technical challenges associated with generating and processing large amounts of data are also discussed.« less

A direct electron detector for time-resolved MeV electron microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vecchione, T.; Denes, P.; Jobe, R. K.

The introduction of direct electron detectors enabled the structural biology revolution of cryogenic electron microscopy. Direct electron detectors are now expected to have a similarly dramatic impact on time-resolved MeV electron microscopy, particularly by enabling both spatial and temporal jitter correction. Here we report on the commissioning of a direct electron detector for time-resolved MeV electron microscopy. The direct electron detector demonstrated MeV single electron sensitivity and is capable of recording megapixel images at 180 Hz. The detector has a 15-bit dynamic range, better than 30-μmμm spatial resolution and less than 20 analogue-to-digital converter count RMS pixel noise. The uniquemore » capabilities of the direct electron detector and the data analysis required to take advantage of these capabilities are presented. The technical challenges associated with generating and processing large amounts of data are also discussed.« less

A direct electron detector for time-resolved MeV electron microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vecchione, T.; Denes, P.; Jobe, R. K.

The introduction of direct electron detectors enabled the structural biology revolution of cryogenic electron microscopy. Direct electron detectors are now expected to have a similarly dramatic impact on time-resolved MeV electron microscopy, particularly by enabling both spatial and temporal jitter correction. Here in this paper, we report on the commissioning of a direct electron detector for time-resolved MeV electron microscopy. The direct electron detector demonstrated MeV single electron sensitivity and is capable of recording megapixel images at 180 Hz. The detector has a 15-bit dynamic range, better than 30-μm spatial resolution and less than 20 analogue-to-digital converter count RMS pixelmore » noise. The unique capabilities of the direct electron detector and the data analysis required to take advantage of these capabilities are presented. The technical challenges associated with generating and processing large amounts of data are also discussed.« less

Dynamic Recrystallization Behavior of Zr-1Sn-0.3Nb Alloy During Hot Rolling Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Siyu; Liu, Huiqun; Lin, Gaoyong; Jiang, Yilan; Xun, Jian

2017-11-01

Zirconium alloys are advanced materials with properties that are greatly affected by their crystalline structure. To investigate this, sheets of Zr-1Sn-0.3Nb alloy were hot rolled with different reductions (10%, 30%, 50%, and 60%) at 1023 K and 1073 K to investigate the alloy's dynamic recrystallization behavior. Recrystallization kinetics was observed via electron backscattering diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, and the results were compared with estimates based on the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK) equation. The values of the JMAK exponent n and k increased with the rolling temperature. The estimates and microstructural observations of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) kinetics were in good agreement.

A Scan through the History of STEM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pennycook, Stephen J

2011-01-01

The development of Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) is outlined from the first developments by Baron Manfred von Ardenne, through the first successful field emission gun STEM by Albert Crewe and his collaborators, to its widespread application today in the era of aberration correction. The review focuses on the development and understanding of incoherent imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy at atomic resolution and will not include details on microanalysis, low loss imaging, or specialized modes such as cathodoluminescence. Although it attempts to cover all the major advances in approximately chronological order, undoubtedly there are omissions and an overemphasis onmore » developments that the author is most familiar with from his own history.« less

Manfred Girbardt and Charles Bracker: outstanding pioneers in fungal microscopy.

PubMed

Bartnicki-Garcia, Salomon

2015-01-01

Midway through the twentieth century, the availability of new and improved optical and electronic microscopes facilitated rapid advances in the elucidation of the fine structure of fungal cells. In this Essay, I pay tribute to Manfred Girbardt (1919-1991) and Charles Bracker (1938-2012)—two individuals who, despite being separated by geography and the restrictions of the Cold War, both made equally fundamental discoveries in fungal cell ultrastructure and set high standards for specimen manipulation and image processing.

Final Project Report CFA-14-6357: A New Paradigm for Understanding Multiphase Ceramic Waste Form Performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brinkman, Kyle; Bordia, Rajendra; Reifsnider, Kenneth

This project fabricated model multiphase ceramic waste forms with processing-controlled microstructures followed by advanced characterization with synchrotron and electron microscopy-based 3D tomography to provide elemental and chemical state-specific information resulting in compositional phase maps of ceramic composites. Details of 3D microstructural features were incorporated into computer-based simulations using durability data for individual constituent phases as inputs in order to predict the performance of multiphase waste forms with varying microstructure and phase connectivity.

Advanced hydrogen electrode for hydrogen-bromide battery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kosek, Jack A.; Laconti, Anthony B.

1987-01-01

Binary platinum alloys are being developed as hydrogen electrocatalysts for use in a hydrogen bromide battery system. These alloys were varied in terms of alloy component mole ratio and heat treatment temperature. Electrocatalyst evaluation, performed in the absence and presence of bromide ion, includes floating half cell polarization studies, electrochemical surface area measurements, X ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy analysis and corrosion measurements. Results obtained to date indicate a platinum rich alloy has the best tolerance to bromide ion poisoning.

Correlative Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy and Electron Microscopy

PubMed Central

Kim, Doory; Deerinck, Thomas J.; Sigal, Yaron M.; Babcock, Hazen P.; Ellisman, Mark H.; Zhuang, Xiaowei

2015-01-01

Correlative fluorescence light microscopy and electron microscopy allows the imaging of spatial distributions of specific biomolecules in the context of cellular ultrastructure. Recent development of super-resolution fluorescence microscopy allows the location of molecules to be determined with nanometer-scale spatial resolution. However, correlative super-resolution fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy (EM) still remains challenging because the optimal specimen preparation and imaging conditions for super-resolution fluorescence microscopy and EM are often not compatible. Here, we have developed several experiment protocols for correlative stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) and EM methods, both for un-embedded samples by applying EM-specific sample preparations after STORM imaging and for embedded and sectioned samples by optimizing the fluorescence under EM fixation, staining and embedding conditions. We demonstrated these methods using a variety of cellular targets. PMID:25874453

Advanced techniques in placental biology -- workshop report.

PubMed

Nelson, D M; Sadovsky, Y; Robinson, J M; Croy, B A; Rice, G; Kniss, D A

2006-04-01

Major advances in placental biology have been realized as new technologies have been developed and existing methods have been refined in many areas of biological research. Classical anatomy and whole-organ physiology tools once used to analyze placental structure and function have been supplanted by more sophisticated techniques adapted from molecular biology, proteomics, and computational biology and bioinformatics. In addition, significant refinements in morphological study of the placenta and its constituent cell types have improved our ability to assess form and function in highly integrated manner. To offer an overview of modern technologies used by investigators to study the placenta, this workshop: Advanced techniques in placental biology, assembled experts who discussed fundamental principles and real time examples of four separate methodologies. Y. Sadovsky presented the principles of microRNA function as an endogenous mechanism of gene regulation. J. Robinson demonstrated the utility of correlative microscopy in which light-level and transmission electron microscopy are combined to provide cellular and subcellular views of placental cells. A. Croy provided a lecture on the use of microdissection techniques which are invaluable for isolating very small subsets of cell types for molecular analysis. Finally, G. Rice presented an overview methods on profiling of complex protein mixtures within tissue and/or fluid samples that, when refined, will offer databases that will underpin a systems approach to modern trophoblast biology.

Advancing multiscale structural mapping of the brain through fluorescence imaging and analysis across length scales

PubMed Central

Hogstrom, L. J.; Guo, S. M.; Murugadoss, K.; Bathe, M.

2016-01-01

Brain function emerges from hierarchical neuronal structure that spans orders of magnitude in length scale, from the nanometre-scale organization of synaptic proteins to the macroscopic wiring of neuronal circuits. Because the synaptic electrochemical signal transmission that drives brain function ultimately relies on the organization of neuronal circuits, understanding brain function requires an understanding of the principles that determine hierarchical neuronal structure in living or intact organisms. Recent advances in fluorescence imaging now enable quantitative characterization of neuronal structure across length scales, ranging from single-molecule localization using super-resolution imaging to whole-brain imaging using light-sheet microscopy on cleared samples. These tools, together with correlative electron microscopy and magnetic resonance imaging at the nanoscopic and macroscopic scales, respectively, now facilitate our ability to probe brain structure across its full range of length scales with cellular and molecular specificity. As these imaging datasets become increasingly accessible to researchers, novel statistical and computational frameworks will play an increasing role in efforts to relate hierarchical brain structure to its function. In this perspective, we discuss several prominent experimental advances that are ushering in a new era of quantitative fluorescence-based imaging in neuroscience along with novel computational and statistical strategies that are helping to distil our understanding of complex brain structure. PMID:26855758

A Novel Microcharacterization Technique in the Measurement of Strain and Orientation Gradient in Advanced Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garmestai, H.; Harris, K.; Lourenco, L.

1997-01-01

Representation of morphology and evolution of the microstructure during processing and their relation to properties requires proper experimental techniques. Residual strains, lattice distortion, and texture (micro-texture) at the interface and the matrix of a layered structure or a functionally gradient material and their variation are among parameters important in materials characterization but hard to measure with present experimental techniques. Current techniques available to measure changes in interred material parameters (residual stress, micro-texture, microplasticity) produce results which are either qualitative or unreliable. This problem becomes even more complicated in the case of a temperature variation. These parameters affect many of the mechanical properties of advanced materials including stress-strain relation, ductility, creep, and fatigue. A review of some novel experimental techniques using recent advances in electron microscopy is presented here to measure internal stress, (micro)texture, interracial strength and (sub)grain formation and realignment. Two of these techniques are combined in the chamber of an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope to measure strain and orientation gradients in advanced materials. These techniques which include Backscattered Kikuchi Diffractometry (BKD) and Microscopic Strain Field Analysis are used to characterize metallic and intermetallic matrix composites and superplastic materials. These techniques are compared with the more conventional x-ray diffraction and indentation techniques.

Structural and mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite coatings formed by ion-beam assisted deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zykova, A.; Safonov, V.; Dudin, S.; Yakovin, S.; Donkov, N.; Ghaemi, M. H.; Szkodo, M.; Antoszkiewicz, M.; Szyfelbain, M.; Czaban, A.

2018-03-01

The ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD) is an advanced method capable of producing crystalline coatings at low temperatures. We determined the characteristics of hydroxyapatite Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 target and coatings formed by IBAD using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The composition of the coatings’ cross-section and surface was close to those of the target. The XPS spectra showed that the binding energy values of Ca (2p1/2, 2p3/2), P (2p3/2), and O 1s levels are related to the hydroxyapatite phase. The coatings demonstrate an optimal H/E ratio, and a good resistance to scratch tests.

High-resolution imaging by scanning electron microscopy of semithin sections in correlation with light microscopy.

PubMed

Koga, Daisuke; Kusumi, Satoshi; Shodo, Ryusuke; Dan, Yukari; Ushiki, Tatsuo

2015-12-01

In this study, we introduce scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of semithin resin sections. In this technique, semithin sections were adhered on glass slides, stained with both uranyl acetate and lead citrate, and observed with a backscattered electron detector at a low accelerating voltage. As the specimens are stained in the same manner as conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the contrast of SEM images of semithin sections was similar to TEM images of ultrathin sections. Using this technique, wide areas of semithin sections were also observed by SEM, without the obstruction of grids, which was inevitable for traditional TEM. This study also applied semithin section SEM to correlative light and electron microscopy. Correlative immunofluorescence microscopy and immune-SEM were performed in semithin sections of LR white resin-embedded specimens using a FluoroNanogold-labeled secondary antibody. Because LR white resin is hydrophilic and electron stable, this resin is suitable for immunostaining and SEM observation. Using correlative microscopy, the precise localization of the primary antibody was demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy and SEM. This method has great potential for studies examining the precise localization of molecules, including Golgi- and ER-associated proteins, in correlation with LM and SEM. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Trends in the Electron Microscopy Data Bank (EMDB).

PubMed

Patwardhan, Ardan

2017-06-01

Recent technological advances, such as the introduction of the direct electron detector, have transformed the field of cryo-EM and the landscape of molecular and cellular structural biology. This study analyses these trends from the vantage point of the Electron Microscopy Data Bank (EMDB), the public archive for three-dimensional EM reconstructions. Over 1000 entries were released in 2016, representing almost a quarter of the total number of entries (4431). Structures at better than 6 Å resolution now represent one of the fastest-growing categories, while the share of annually released tomography-related structures is approaching 20%. The use of direct electron detectors is growing very rapidly: they were used for 70% of the structures released in 2016, in contrast to none before 2011. Microscopes from FEI have an overwhelming lead in terms of usage, and the use of the RELION software package continues to grow rapidly after having attained a leading position in the field. China is rapidly emerging as a major player in the field, supplementing the US, Germany and the UK as the big four. Similarly, Tsinghua University ranks only second to the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Biology in terms of involvement in publications associated with cryo-EM structures at better than 4 Å resolution. Overall, the numbers point to a rapid democratization of the field, with more countries and institutes becoming involved.

Trends in the Electron Microscopy Data Bank (EMDB)

PubMed Central

Patwardhan, Ardan

2017-01-01

Recent technological advances, such as the introduction of the direct electron detector, have transformed the field of cryo-EM and the landscape of molecular and cellular structural biology. This study analyses these trends from the vantage point of the Electron Microscopy Data Bank (EMDB), the public archive for three-dimensional EM reconstructions. Over 1000 entries were released in 2016, representing almost a quarter of the total number of entries (4431). Structures at better than 6 Å resolution now represent one of the fastest-growing categories, while the share of annually released tomography-related structures is approaching 20%. The use of direct electron detectors is growing very rapidly: they were used for 70% of the structures released in 2016, in contrast to none before 2011. Microscopes from FEI have an overwhelming lead in terms of usage, and the use of the RELION software package continues to grow rapidly after having attained a leading position in the field. China is rapidly emerging as a major player in the field, supplementing the US, Germany and the UK as the big four. Similarly, Tsinghua University ranks only second to the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Biology in terms of involvement in publications associated with cryo-EM structures at better than 4 Å resolution. Overall, the numbers point to a rapid democratization of the field, with more countries and institutes becoming involved. PMID:28580912

Cassette Series Designed for Live-Cell Imaging of Proteins and High Resolution Techniques in Yeast

PubMed Central

Young, Carissa L.; Raden, David L.; Caplan, Jeffrey; Czymmek, Kirk; Robinson, Anne S.

2012-01-01

During the past decade, it has become clear that protein function and regulation are highly dependent upon intracellular localization. Although fluorescent protein variants are ubiquitously used to monitor protein dynamics, localization, and abundance; fluorescent light microscopy techniques often lack the resolution to explore protein heterogeneity and cellular ultrastructure. Several approaches have been developed to identify, characterize, and monitor the spatial localization of proteins and complexes at the sub-organelle level; yet, many of these techniques have not been applied to yeast. Thus, we have constructed a series of cassettes containing codon-optimized epitope tags, fluorescent protein variants that cover the full spectrum of visible light, a TetCys motif used for FlAsH-based localization, and the first evaluation in yeast of a photoswitchable variant – mEos2 – to monitor discrete subpopulations of proteins via confocal microscopy. This series of modules, complete with six different selection markers, provides the optimal flexibility during live-cell imaging and multicolor labeling in vivo. Furthermore, high-resolution imaging techniques include the yeast-enhanced TetCys motif that is compatible with diaminobenzidine photooxidation used for protein localization by electron microscopy and mEos2 that is ideal for super-resolution microscopy. We have examined the utility of our cassettes by analyzing all probes fused to the C-terminus of Sec61, a polytopic membrane protein of the endoplasmic reticulum of moderate protein concentration, in order to directly compare fluorescent probes, their utility and technical applications. Our series of cassettes expand the repertoire of molecular tools available to advance targeted spatiotemporal investigations using multiple live-cell, super-resolution or electron microscopy imaging techniques. PMID:22473760

On the Progress of Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) Imaging in a Scanning Electron Microscope.

PubMed

Sun, Cheng; Müller, Erich; Meffert, Matthias; Gerthsen, Dagmar

2018-04-01

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with low-energy electrons has been recognized as an important addition to the family of electron microscopies as it may avoid knock-on damage and increase the contrast of weakly scattering objects. Scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) are well suited for low-energy electron microscopy with maximum electron energies of 30 keV, but they are mainly used for topography imaging of bulk samples. Implementation of a scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) detector and a charge-coupled-device camera for the acquisition of on-axis transmission electron diffraction (TED) patterns, in combination with recent resolution improvements, make SEMs highly interesting for structure analysis of some electron-transparent specimens which are traditionally investigated by TEM. A new aspect is correlative SEM, STEM, and TED imaging from the same specimen region in a SEM which leads to a wealth of information. Simultaneous image acquisition gives information on surface topography, inner structure including crystal defects and qualitative material contrast. Lattice-fringe resolution is obtained in bright-field STEM imaging. The benefits of correlative SEM/STEM/TED imaging in a SEM are exemplified by structure analyses from representative sample classes such as nanoparticulates and bulk materials.

Evaluating a novel oxygenating therapeutic for its potential use in the advancement of wound healing.

PubMed

Gueldner, Jennifer; Zhang, Fan; Zechmann, Bernd; Bruce, Erica D

2017-09-01

Non-gaseous oxygen therapeutics are emerging technologies in regenerative medicine that aim to sidestep the undesirable effects seen in traditional oxygen therapies, while enhancing tissue and wound regeneration. Using a novel oxygenating therapeutic (Ox66™) several in vitro models including fibroblast and keratinocyte monocultures were evaluated for potential drug toxicity, the ability of cells to recover after chemical injury, and cell migration after scratch assay. It was determined that in both cell lines, there was no significant cytotoxicity found after independent treatment with Ox66™. Similarly, after DMSO-induced chemical injury, the health parameters of cells treated with Ox66™ were improved when compared to their untreated counterparts. Particles were also characterized using scanning electron microscopy and electron dispersive spectroscopy both individually and in conjunction with fibroblast growth. The data in this study showed that the novel wound healing therapeutic has potential in advancing the treatment of various types of acute and chronic wounds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-resolution measurements of the multilayer ultra-structure of articular cartilage and their translational potential

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Current musculoskeletal imaging techniques usually target the macro-morphology of articular cartilage or use histological analysis. These techniques are able to reveal advanced osteoarthritic changes in articular cartilage but fail to give detailed information to distinguish early osteoarthritis from healthy cartilage, and this necessitates high-resolution imaging techniques measuring cells and the extracellular matrix within the multilayer structure of articular cartilage. This review provides a comprehensive exploration of the cellular components and extracellular matrix of articular cartilage as well as high-resolution imaging techniques, including magnetic resonance image, electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, second harmonic generation microscopy, and laser scanning confocal arthroscopy, in the measurement of multilayer ultra-structures of articular cartilage. This review also provides an overview for micro-structural analysis of the main components of normal or osteoarthritic cartilage and discusses the potential and challenges associated with developing non-invasive high-resolution imaging techniques for both research and clinical diagnosis of early to late osteoarthritis. PMID:24946278

High throughput, detailed, cell-specific neuroanatomy of dendritic spines using microinjection and confocal microscopy

PubMed Central

Dumitriu, Dani; Rodriguez, Alfredo; Morrison, John H.

2012-01-01

Morphological features such as size, shape and density of dendritic spines have been shown to reflect important synaptic functional attributes and potential for plasticity. Here we describe in detail a protocol for obtaining detailed morphometric analysis of spines using microinjection of fluorescent dyes, high resolution confocal microscopy, deconvolution and image analysis using NeuronStudio. Recent technical advancements include better preservation of tissue resulting in prolonged ability to microinject, and algorithmic improvements that compensate for the residual Z-smear inherent in all optical imaging. Confocal imaging parameters were probed systematically for the identification of both optimal resolution as well as highest efficiency. When combined, our methods yield size and density measurements comparable to serial section transmission electron microscopy in a fraction of the time. An experiment containing 3 experimental groups with 8 subjects in each can take as little as one month if optimized for speed, or approximately 4 to 5 months if the highest resolution and morphometric detail is sought. PMID:21886104

Magnetic properties evolution of the CoxFe3-xO4/SiO2 system due to advanced thermal treatment at 700 °C and 1000 °C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dippong, Thomas; Levei, Erika Andrea; Tanaselia, Claudiu; Gabor, Mihai; Nasui, Mircea; Barbu Tudoran, Lucian; Borodi, Gheorghe

2016-07-01

The CoxFe3-xO4 (x=0.5-2.5) system embedded in the silica matrix was synthesised by sol-gel method using cobalt nitrate, iron nitrate, 1.4-butanediol and tetraethyl orthosilicate. Five different Co/Fe molar ratios in the presence of diol and one without diol were used for the synthesis. The obtained gels were subjected to thermal treatment at 700 °C and 1000 °C. The oxide species formed in the silica matrix, the optimum temperature for the CoFe2O4 phase formation, the evolution of nanocrystallites size and magnetic properties with the calcination temperature were studied. The formed oxide species were studied using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformed infrared spectrometry, the Co/Fe molar ratio was confirmed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, the nanocrystallites size, shape and clustering was identified by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, while the formation of magnetic phases was investigated by hysteresis and magnetization derivatives measurements.

Morphology, mechanical, cross-linking, thermal, and tribological properties of nitrile and hydrogenated nitrile rubber/multi-walled carbon nanotubes composites prepared by melt compounding: The effect of acrylonitrile content and hydrogenation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Likozar, Blaž; Major, Zoltan

2010-11-01

The purpose of this work was to prepare nanocomposites by mixing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) with nitrile and hydrogenated nitrile elastomers (NBR and HNBR). Utilization of transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering techniques (SAXS and WAXS) for advanced morphology observation of conducting filler-reinforced nitrile and hydrogenated nitrile rubber composites is reported. Principal results were increases in hardness (maximally 97 Shore, type A), elastic modulus (maximally 981 MPa), tensile strength (maximally 27.7 MPa), elongation at break (maximally 216%), cross-link density (maximally 7.94 × 1028 m-3), density (maximally 1.16 g cm-3), and tear strength (11.2 kN m-1), which were clearly visible at particular acrylonitrile contents both for unhydrogenated and hydrogenated polymers due to enhanced distribution of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and their aggregated particles in the applied rubber matrix. Conclusion was that multi-walled carbon nanotubes improved the performance of nitrile and hydrogenated nitrile rubber nanocomposites prepared by melt compounding.

Far-field optical imaging with subdiffraction resolution enabled by nonlinear saturation absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Chenliang; Wei, Jingsong

2016-01-01

The resolution of far-field optical imaging is required to improve beyond the Abbe limit to the subdiffraction or even the nanoscale. In this work, inspired by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) imaging, in which carbon (or Au) thin films are usually required to be coated on the sample surface before imaging to remove the charging effect while imaging by electrons. We propose a saturation-absorption-induced far-field super-resolution optical imaging method (SAI-SRIM). In the SAI-SRIM, the carbon (or Au) layers in SEM imaging are replaced by nonlinear-saturation-absorption (NSA) thin films, which are directly coated onto the sample surfaces using advanced thin film deposition techniques. The surface fluctuant morphologies are replicated to the NSA thin films, accordingly. The coated sample surfaces are then imaged using conventional laser scanning microscopy. Consequently, the imaging resolution is greatly improved, and subdiffraction-resolved optical images are obtained theoretically and experimentally. The SAI-SRIM provides an effective and easy way to achieve far-field super-resolution optical imaging for sample surfaces with geometric fluctuant morphology characteristics.

Advances in Chemical and Structural Characterization of Concretion with Implications for Modeling Marine Corrosion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Donald L.; DeAngelis, Robert J.; Medlin, Dana J.; Carr, James D.; Conlin, David L.

2014-05-01

The Weins number model and concretion equivalent corrosion rate methodology were developed as potential minimum-impact, cost-effective techniques to determine corrosion damage on submerged steel structures. To apply the full potential of these technologies, a detailed chemical and structural characterization of the concretion (hard biofouling) that transforms into iron bearing minerals is required. The fractions of existing compounds and the quantitative chemistries are difficult to determine from x-ray diffraction. Environmental scanning electron microscopy was used to present chemical compositions by means of energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). EDS demonstrates the chemical data in mapping format or in point or selected area chemistries. Selected-area EDS data collection at precise locations is presented in terms of atomic percent. The mechanism of formation and distribution of the iron-bearing mineral species at specific locations will be presented. Based on water retention measurements, porosity in terms of void volume varies from 15 v/o to 30 v/o (vol.%). The void path displayed by scanning electron microscopy imaging illustrates the tortuous path by which oxygen migrates in the water phase within the concretion from seaside to metalside.

EMAN2: an extensible image processing suite for electron microscopy.

PubMed

Tang, Guang; Peng, Liwei; Baldwin, Philip R; Mann, Deepinder S; Jiang, Wen; Rees, Ian; Ludtke, Steven J

2007-01-01

EMAN is a scientific image processing package with a particular focus on single particle reconstruction from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. It was first released in 1999, and new versions have been released typically 2-3 times each year since that time. EMAN2 has been under development for the last two years, with a completely refactored image processing library, and a wide range of features to make it much more flexible and extensible than EMAN1. The user-level programs are better documented, more straightforward to use, and written in the Python scripting language, so advanced users can modify the programs' behavior without any recompilation. A completely rewritten 3D transformation class simplifies translation between Euler angle standards and symmetry conventions. The core C++ library has over 500 functions for image processing and associated tasks, and it is modular with introspection capabilities, so programmers can add new algorithms with minimal effort and programs can incorporate new capabilities automatically. Finally, a flexible new parallelism system has been designed to address the shortcomings in the rigid system in EMAN1.

Characterization of paired helical filaments by scanning transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Ksiezak-Reding, Hanna; Wall, Joseph S

2005-07-01

Paired helical filaments (PHFs) are abnormal twisted filaments composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. They are found in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders designated as tauopathies. They are a major component of intracellular inclusions known as neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). The objective of this review is to summarize various structural studies of PHFs in which using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has been particularly informative. STEM provides shape and mass per unit length measurements important for studying ultrastructural aspects of filaments. These include quantitative comparisons between dispersed and aggregated populations of PHFs as well as comparative studies of PHFs in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Other approaches are also discussed if relevant or complementary to studies using STEM, e.g., application of a novel staining reagent, Nanovan. Our understanding of the PHF structure and the development of PHFs into NFTs is presented from a historical perspective. Others goals are to describe the biochemical and ultrastructural complexity of authentic PHFs, to assess similarities between authentic and synthetic PHFs, and to discuss recent advances in PHF modeling.

An investigation of the loss of ductility in hydrogen charged beta-Ti alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robertson, Ian M.

1995-01-01

The high strength, low density, and good corrosion resistance of Ti-based alloys make them candidate materials for a number of applications in the aerospace industry. A major limitation in the use of these alloys in the advanced hypersonic flight vehicle program is their susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement. This study focuses on the hydrogen sensitivity of TIMETAL 21S beta-Ti alloy. The material received was in the form of grip-ends of failed tensile test samples which had been exposed to different charging conditions (combinations of hydrogen pressure and temperature). The samples received, the charging conditions, and their fracture mode are discussed. It can be seen that the fracture behavior changes from ductile to brittle with increasing hydrogen content, but the transition in behavior occurs for a small increase in hydrogen concentration. The aim of this program was to assess the microstructural differences between the ductile and brittle alloys to ascertain the embrittlement mechanism. A range of tools which included x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used.

Biological Niches within Human Calcified Aortic Valves: Towards Understanding of the Pathological Biomineralization Process

PubMed Central

Cottignoli, Valentina; Agrosì, Giovanna; Familiari, Giuseppe; Salvador, Loris

2015-01-01

Despite recent advances, mineralization site, its microarchitecture, and composition in calcific heart valve remain poorly understood. A multiscale investigation, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), from micrometre up to nanometre, was conducted on human severely calcified aortic and mitral valves, to provide new insights into calcification process. Our aim was to evaluate the spatial relationship existing between bioapatite crystals, their local growing microenvironment, and the presence of a hierarchical architecture. Here we detected the presence of bioapatite crystals in two different mineralization sites that suggest the action of two different growth processes: a pathological crystallization process that occurs in biological niches and is ascribed to a purely physicochemical process and a matrix-mediated mineralized process in which the extracellular matrix acts as the template for a site-directed nanocrystals nucleation. Different shapes of bioapatite crystallization were observed at micrometer scale in each microenvironment but at the nanoscale level crystals appear to be made up by the same subunits. PMID:26509159

Sublimation-assisted graphene transfer technique based on small polyaromatic hydrocarbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Mingguang; Stekovic, Dejan; Li, Wangxiang; Arkook, Bassim; Haddon, Robert C.; Bekyarova, Elena

2017-06-01

Advances in the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of graphene have made this material a very attractive candidate for a number of applications including transparent conductors, electronics, optoeletronics, biomedical devices and energy storage. The CVD method requires transfer of graphene on a desired substrate and this is most commonly accomplished with polymers. The removal of polymer carriers is achieved with organic solvents or thermal treatment which makes this approach inappropriate for application to plastic thin films such as polyethylene terephthalate substrates. An ultraclean graphene transfer method under mild conditions is highly desired. In this article, we report a naphthalene-assisted graphene transfer technique which provides a reliable route to residue-free transfer of graphene to both hard and flexible substrates. The quality of the transferred graphene was characterized with atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Field effect transistors, based on the naphthalene-transfered graphene, were fabricated and characterized. This work has the potential to broaden the applications of CVD graphene in fields where ultraclean graphene and mild graphene transfer conditions are required.

Structure of the TRPV1 ion channel determined by electron cryo-microscopy.

PubMed

Liao, Maofu; Cao, Erhu; Julius, David; Cheng, Yifan

2013-12-05

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are sensors for a wide range of cellular and environmental signals, but elucidating how these channels respond to physical and chemical stimuli has been hampered by a lack of detailed structural information. Here we exploit advances in electron cryo-microscopy to determine the structure of a mammalian TRP channel, TRPV1, at 3.4 Å resolution, breaking the side-chain resolution barrier for membrane proteins without crystallization. Like voltage-gated channels, TRPV1 exhibits four-fold symmetry around a central ion pathway formed by transmembrane segments 5-6 (S5-S6) and the intervening pore loop, which is flanked by S1-S4 voltage-sensor-like domains. TRPV1 has a wide extracellular 'mouth' with a short selectivity filter. The conserved 'TRP domain' interacts with the S4-S5 linker, consistent with its contribution to allosteric modulation. Subunit organization is facilitated by interactions among cytoplasmic domains, including amino-terminal ankyrin repeats. These observations provide a structural blueprint for understanding unique aspects of TRP channel function.

Extracellular synthesis of gold bionanoparticles by Nocardiopsis sp. and evaluation of its antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities.

PubMed

Manivasagan, Panchanathan; Alam, Moch Syaiful; Kang, Kyong-Hwa; Kwak, Minseok; Kim, Se-Kwon

2015-06-01

Advancement of biological process for the synthesis of bionanoparticles is evolving into a key area of research in nanotechnology. The present study deals with the biosynthesis, characterization of gold bionanoparticles by Nocardiopsis sp. MBRC-48 and evaluation of their antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. The gold bionanoparticles obtained were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The synthesized gold bionanoparticles were spherical in shape with an average of 11.57 ± 1.24 nm as determined by TEM and dynamic light scattering (DLS) particle size analyzer, respectively. The biosynthesized gold nanoparticles exhibited good antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms. It showed strong antioxidant activity as well as cytotoxicity against HeLa cervical cancer cell line. The present study demonstrated the potential use of the marine actinobacterial strain of Nocardiopsis sp. MBRC-48 as an important source for gold nanoparticles with improved biomedical applications including antimicrobial, antioxidant as well as cytotoxic agent.

Long-term follow-up in Bietti crystalline dystrophy

PubMed Central

MANSOUR, A.M.; UWAYDAT, S.H.; CHAN, C.-C.

2008-01-01

Purpose To present a long-term follow-up of Bietti crystalline dystrophy. Methods Two brothers are presented including the clinical findings, fluorescein angiography, electrophysiology (electroretinography [ERG], electrooculography [EOG], adaptometry), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and transmission electron microscopy of bulbar conjunctiva and peripheral blood lymphocytes. The clinical findings were documented over a period of 25 years in one brother and 5 years in the other. Results The most striking features were deposits in the retina that were formed de novo with old ones replaced by choroidal atrophy in advanced stage of the disease. The light rise (EOG), rod- and cone-driven responses (ERG), and visual fields were affected progressively during the course. These changes of the retinal pigment epithelium and choriocapillaris were observed in the second decade and worsened gradually. OCT demonstrated preferential crystal accumulation in the inner retina. Cytoplasmic lipid crystalline inclusions were found in lymphocytes and conjunctival fibroblasts by transmission electron microscopy. Conclusions Bietti crystalline retinopathy is a progressive retinal disease characterized by retinal crystals gradually replaced by atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium and gradual constriction of visual fields. PMID:17671952

Structure of the TRPV1 ion channel determined by electron cryo-microscopy

PubMed Central

Liao, Maofu; Cao, Erhu; Julius, David; Cheng, Yifan

2014-01-01

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are sensors for a wide range of cellular and environmental signals, but elucidating how these channels respond to physical and chemical stimuli has been hampered by a lack of detailed structural information. Here, we exploit advances in electron cryo-microscopy to determine the structure of a mammalian TRP channel, TRPV1, at 3.4Å resolution, breaking the side-chain resolution barrier for membrane proteins without crystallization. Like voltage-gated channels, TRPV1 exhibits four-fold symmetry around a central ion pathway formed by transmembrane helices S5–S6 and the intervening pore loop, which is flanked by S1–S4 voltage sensor-like domains. TRPV1 has a wide extracellular ‘mouth’ with short selectivity filter. The conserved ‘TRP domain’ interacts with the S4–S5 linker, consistent with its contribution to allosteric modulation. Subunit organization is facilitated by interactions among cytoplasmic domains, including N-terminal ankyrin repeats. These observations provide a structural blueprint for understanding unique aspects of TRP channel function. PMID:24305160

Electron transparent graphene windows for environmental scanning electron microscopy in liquids and dense gases.

PubMed

Stoll, Joshua D; Kolmakov, Andrei

2012-12-21

Due to its ultrahigh electron transmissivity in a wide electron energy range, molecular impermeability, high electrical conductivity and excellent mechanical stiffness, suspended graphene membranes appear to be a nearly ideal window material for in situ (in vivo) environmental electron microscopy of nano- and mesoscopic objects (including bio-medical samples) immersed in liquids and/or in dense gaseous media. In this paper, taking advantage of a small modification of the graphene transfer protocol onto metallic and SiN supporting orifices, reusable environmental cells with exchangeable graphene windows have been designed. Using colloidal gold nanoparticles (50 nm) dispersed in water as model objects for scanning electron microscopy in liquids as proof of concept, different conditions for imaging through the graphene membrane were tested. Limiting factors for electron microscopy in liquids, such as electron beam induced water radiolysis and damage of the graphene membrane at high electron doses, are discussed.

Ultrafast Science Opportunities with Electron Microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Durr, Hermann

X-rays and electrons are two of the most fundamental probes of matter. When the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), the world’s first x-ray free electron laser, began operation in 2009, it transformed ultrafast science with the ability to generate laser-like x-ray pulses from the manipulation of relativistic electron beams. This document describes a similar future transformation. In Transmission Electron Microscopy, ultrafast relativistic (MeV energy) electron pulses can achieve unsurpassed spatial and temporal resolution. Ultrafast temporal resolution will be the next frontier in electron microscopy and can ideally complement ultrafast x-ray science done with free electron lasers. This document describes themore » Grand Challenge science opportunities in chemistry, material science, physics and biology that arise from an MeV ultrafast electron diffraction & microscopy facility, especially when coupled with linac-based intense THz and X-ray pump capabilities.« less

Microstructure of milk

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The fat and protein in milk may be examined by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy, and any bacteria present may be viewed by light microscopy. The fat exists as globules, the bulk of the protein is in the form of casein micelles, a...

Towards atomically precise manipulation of 2D nanostructures in the electron microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susi, Toma; Kepaptsoglou, Demie; Lin, Yung-Chang; Ramasse, Quentin M.; Meyer, Jannik C.; Suenaga, Kazu; Kotakoski, Jani

2017-12-01

Despite decades of research, the ultimate goal of nanotechnology—top-down manipulation of individual atoms—has been directly achieved with only one technique: scanning probe microscopy. In this review, we demonstrate that scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) is emerging as an alternative method for the direct assembly of nanostructures, with possible applications in plasmonics, quantum technologies, and materials science. Atomically precise manipulation with STEM relies on recent advances in instrumentation that have enabled non-destructive atomic-resolution imaging at lower electron energies. While momentum transfer from highly energetic electrons often leads to atom ejection, interesting dynamics can be induced when the transferable kinetic energies are comparable to bond strengths in the material. Operating in this regime, very recent experiments have revealed the potential for single-atom manipulation using the Ångström-sized electron beam. To truly enable control, however, it is vital to understand the relevant atomic-scale phenomena through accurate dynamical simulations. Although excellent agreement between experiment and theory for the specific case of atomic displacements from graphene has been recently achieved using density functional theory molecular dynamics, in many other cases quantitative accuracy remains a challenge. We provide a comprehensive reanalysis of available experimental data on beam-driven dynamics in light of the state-of-the-art in simulations, and identify important targets for improvement. Overall, the modern electron microscope has great potential to become an atom-scale fabrication platform, especially for covalently bonded 2D nanostructures. We review the developments that have made this possible, argue that graphene is an ideal starting material, and assess the main challenges moving forward.

Fabrication of [001]-oriented tungsten tips for high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy

PubMed Central

Chaika, A. N.; Orlova, N. N.; Semenov, V. N.; Postnova, E. Yu.; Krasnikov, S. A.; Lazarev, M. G.; Chekmazov, S. V.; Aristov, V. Yu.; Glebovsky, V. G.; Bozhko, S. I.; Shvets, I. V.

2014-01-01

The structure of the [001]-oriented single crystalline tungsten probes sharpened in ultra-high vacuum using electron beam heating and ion sputtering has been studied using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The electron microscopy data prove reproducible fabrication of the single-apex tips with nanoscale pyramids grained by the {011} planes at the apexes. These sharp, [001]-oriented tungsten tips have been successfully utilized in high resolution scanning tunneling microscopy imaging of HOPG(0001), SiC(001) and graphene/SiC(001) surfaces. The electron microscopy characterization performed before and after the high resolution STM experiments provides direct correlation between the tip structure and picoscale spatial resolution achieved in the experiments. PMID:24434734

Modifying Surface Chemistry of Metal Oxides for Boosting Dissolution Kinetics in Water by Liquid Cell Electron Microscopy.

PubMed

Lu, Yue; Geng, Jiguo; Wang, Kuan; Zhang, Wei; Ding, Wenqiang; Zhang, Zhenhua; Xie, Shaohua; Dai, Hongxing; Chen, Fu-Rong; Sui, Manling

2017-08-22

Dissolution of metal oxides is fundamentally important for understanding mineral evolution and micromachining oxide functional materials. In general, dissolution of metal oxides is a slow and inefficient chemical reaction. Here, by introducing oxygen deficiencies to modify the surface chemistry of oxides, we can boost the dissolution kinetics of metal oxides in water, as in situ demonstrated in a liquid environmental transmission electron microscope (LETEM). The dissolution rate constant significantly increases by 16-19 orders of magnitude, equivalent to a reduction of 0.97-1.11 eV in activation energy, as compared with the normal dissolution in acid. It is evidenced from the high-resolution TEM imaging, electron energy loss spectra, and first-principle calculations where the dissolution route of metal oxides is dynamically changed by local interoperability between altered water chemistry and surface oxygen deficiencies via electron radiolysis. This discovery inspires the development of a highly efficient electron lithography method for metal oxide films in ecofriendly water, which offers an advanced technique for nanodevice fabrication.

Materials Characterization of Additively Manufactured Components for Rocket Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Robert; Draper, Susan; Locci, Ivan; Lerch, Bradley; Ellis, David; Senick, Paul; Meyer, Michael; Free, James; Cooper, Ken; Jones, Zachary

2015-01-01

To advance Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies for production of rocket propulsion components the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is applying state of the art characterization techniques to interrogate microstructure and mechanical properties of AM materials and components at various steps in their processing. The materials being investigated for upper stage rocket engines include titanium, copper, and nickel alloys. Additive manufacturing processes include laser powder bed, electron beam powder bed, and electron beam wire fed processes. Various post build thermal treatments, including Hot Isostatic Pressure (HIP), have been studied to understand their influence on microstructure, mechanical properties, and build density. Micro-computed tomography, electron microscopy, and mechanical testing in relevant temperature environments has been performed to develop relationships between build quality, microstructure, and mechanical performance at temperature. A summary of GRC's Additive Manufacturing roles and experimental findings will be presented.

Material Characterization of Additively Manufactured Components for Rocket Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Robert; Draper, Susan; Locci, Ivan; Lerch, Bradley; Ellis, David; Senick, Paul; Meyer, Michael; Free, James; Cooper, Ken; Jones, Zachary

2015-01-01

To advance Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies for production of rocket propulsion components the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is applying state of the art characterization techniques to interrogate microstructure and mechanical properties of AM materials and components at various steps in their processing. The materials being investigated for upper stage rocket engines include titanium, copper, and nickel alloys. Additive manufacturing processes include laser powder bed, electron beam powder bed, and electron beam wire fed processes. Various post build thermal treatments, including Hot Isostatic Pressure (HIP), have been studied to understand their influence on microstructure, mechanical properties, and build density. Micro-computed tomography, electron microscopy, and mechanical testing in relevant temperature environments has been performed to develop relationships between build quality, microstructure, and mechanical performance at temperature. A summary of GRCs Additive Manufacturing roles and experimental findings will be presented.

Electron-Beam Lithographic Grafting of Functional Polymer Structures from Fluoropolymer Substrates.

PubMed

Gajos, Katarzyna; Guzenko, Vitaliy A; Dübner, Matthias; Haberko, Jakub; Budkowski, Andrzej; Padeste, Celestino

2016-10-07

Well-defined submicrometer structures of poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) were grafted from 100 μm thick films of poly(ethene-alt-tetrafluoroethene) after electron-beam lithographic exposure. To explore the possibilities and limits of the method under different exposure conditions, two different acceleration voltages (2.5 and 100 keV) were employed. First, the influence of electron energy and dose on the extent of grafting and on the structure's morphology was determined via atomic force microscopy. The surface grafting with PDMAEMA was confirmed by advanced surface analytical techniques such as time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Additionally, the possibility of effective postpolymerization modification of grafted structures was demonstrated by quaternization of the grafted PDMAEMA to the polycationic QPDMAEMA form and by exploiting electrostatic interactions to bind charged organic dyes and functional proteins.

Multi-modal Registration for Correlative Microscopy using Image Analogies

PubMed Central

Cao, Tian; Zach, Christopher; Modla, Shannon; Powell, Debbie; Czymmek, Kirk; Niethammer, Marc

2014-01-01

Correlative microscopy is a methodology combining the functionality of light microscopy with the high resolution of electron microscopy and other microscopy technologies for the same biological specimen. In this paper, we propose an image registration method for correlative microscopy, which is challenging due to the distinct appearance of biological structures when imaged with different modalities. Our method is based on image analogies and allows to transform images of a given modality into the appearance-space of another modality. Hence, the registration between two different types of microscopy images can be transformed to a mono-modality image registration. We use a sparse representation model to obtain image analogies. The method makes use of corresponding image training patches of two different imaging modalities to learn a dictionary capturing appearance relations. We test our approach on backscattered electron (BSE) scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/confocal and transmission electron microscopy (TEM)/confocal images. We perform rigid, affine, and deformable registration via B-splines and show improvements over direct registration using both mutual information and sum of squared differences similarity measures to account for differences in image appearance. PMID:24387943

A workflow for the automatic segmentation of organelles in electron microscopy image stacks

PubMed Central

Perez, Alex J.; Seyedhosseini, Mojtaba; Deerinck, Thomas J.; Bushong, Eric A.; Panda, Satchidananda; Tasdizen, Tolga; Ellisman, Mark H.

2014-01-01

Electron microscopy (EM) facilitates analysis of the form, distribution, and functional status of key organelle systems in various pathological processes, including those associated with neurodegenerative disease. Such EM data often provide important new insights into the underlying disease mechanisms. The development of more accurate and efficient methods to quantify changes in subcellular microanatomy has already proven key to understanding the pathogenesis of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, as well as glaucoma. While our ability to acquire large volumes of 3D EM data is progressing rapidly, more advanced analysis tools are needed to assist in measuring precise three-dimensional morphologies of organelles within data sets that can include hundreds to thousands of whole cells. Although new imaging instrument throughputs can exceed teravoxels of data per day, image segmentation and analysis remain significant bottlenecks to achieving quantitative descriptions of whole cell structural organellomes. Here, we present a novel method for the automatic segmentation of organelles in 3D EM image stacks. Segmentations are generated using only 2D image information, making the method suitable for anisotropic imaging techniques such as serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBEM). Additionally, no assumptions about 3D organelle morphology are made, ensuring the method can be easily expanded to any number of structurally and functionally diverse organelles. Following the presentation of our algorithm, we validate its performance by assessing the segmentation accuracy of different organelle targets in an example SBEM dataset and demonstrate that it can be efficiently parallelized on supercomputing resources, resulting in a dramatic reduction in runtime. PMID:25426032

Directly Observing Micelle Fusion and Growth in Solution by Liquid-Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parent, Lucas R.; Bakalis, Evangelos; Ramírez-Hernández, Abelardo

Amphiphilic small molecules and polymers form commonplace nanoscale macromolecular compartments and bilayers, and as such are truly essential components in all cells and in many cellular processes. The nature of these architectures, including their formation, phase changes, and stimuli-response behaviors, is necessary for the most basic functions of life, and over the past half-century, these natural micellar structures have inspired a vast diversity of industrial products, from biomedicines to detergents, lubricants, and coatings. The importance of these materials and their ubiquity have made them the subject of intense investigation regarding their nanoscale dynamics with increasing interest in obtaining sufficient temporalmore » and spatial resolution to directly observe nanoscale processes. However, the vast majority of experimental methods involve either bulk-averaging techniques including light, neutron, and X-ray scattering, or are static in nature including even the most advanced cryogenic transmission electron microscopy techniques. Here, we employ in situ liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy (LCTEM) to directly observe the evolution of individual amphiphilic block copolymer micellar nanoparticles in solution, in real time with nanometer spatial resolution. These observations, made on a proof-of-concept bioconjugate polymer amphiphile, revealed growth and evolution occurring by unimer addition processes and by particle-particle collision-and-fusion events. The experimental approach, combining direct LCTEM observation, quantitative analysis of LCTEM data, and correlated in silico simulations, provides a unique view of solvated soft matter nanoassemblies as they morph and evolve in time and space, enabling us to capture these phenomena in solution.« less

[application of the analytical transmission electron microscopy techniques for detection, identification and visualization of localization of nanoparticles of titanium and cerium oxides in mammalian cells].

PubMed

Shebanova, A S; Bogdanov, A G; Ismagulova, T T; Feofanov, A V; Semenyuk, P I; Muronets, V I; Erokhina, M V; Onishchenko, G E; Kirpichnikov, M P; Shaitan, K V

2014-01-01

This work represents the results of the study on applicability of the modern methods of analytical transmission electron microscopy for detection, identification and visualization of localization of nanoparticles of titanium and cerium oxides in A549 cell, human lung adenocarcinoma cell line. A comparative analysis of images of the nanoparticles in the cells obtained in the bright field mode of transmission electron microscopy, under dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy and high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron was performed. For identification of nanoparticles in the cells the analytical techniques, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy, were compared when used in the mode of obtaining energy spectrum from different particles and element mapping. It was shown that the method for electron tomography is applicable to confirm that nanoparticles are localized in the sample but not coated by contamination. The possibilities and fields of utilizing different techniques for analytical transmission electron microscopy for detection, visualization and identification of nanoparticles in the biological samples are discussed.

'The genetic analysis of functional connectomics in Drosophila'

PubMed Central

Meinertzhagen, Ian A.; Lee, Chi-Hon

2014-01-01

Fly and vertebrate nervous systems share many organization characteristics, such as layers, columns and glomeruli, and utilize similar synaptic components, such ion channels and receptors. Both also exhibit similar network features. Recent technological advances, especially in electron microscopy, now allow us to determine synaptic circuits and identify pathways cell-by-cell, as part of the fly’s connectome. Genetic tools provide the means to identify synaptic components, as well as to record and manipulate neuronal activity, adding function to the connectome. This review discusses technical advances in these emerging areas of functional connectomics, offering prognoses in each and identifying the challenges in bridging structural connectomics to molecular biology and synaptic physiology, thereby determining fundamental computation mechanisms that underlie behaviour. PMID:23084874

Hierarchical structure and dynamics of oligocarbonate-functionalized PEG block copolymer gels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabhu, Vivek; Wei, Guangmin; Ali, Samim; Venkataraman, Shrinivas; Yang, Yi Yan; Hedrick, James

Hierarchical, self-assembled block copolymers in aqueous solutions provide advanced materials for biomaterial applications. Recent advancements in the synthesis of aliphatic polycarbonates have shown nontraditional micellar and hierarchical structures driven by the supramolecular assembly of the carbonate block functionality that includes cholesterol, vitamin D, and fluorene. This presentation shall describe the supramolecular assembly structure and dynamics observed by static and dynamic light scattering, small-angle neutron scattering and transmission electron microscopy in a model pi-pi stacking driven fluorene system. The combination of real-space and reciprocal space methods to develop appropriate models that quantify the structure from the micelle to transient gel network will be discussed. 1) Biomedical Research Council, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, 2) NIST Materials Genome Initiative.

A novel wavelet neural network based pathological stage detection technique for an oral precancerous condition

PubMed Central

Paul, R R; Mukherjee, A; Dutta, P K; Banerjee, S; Pal, M; Chatterjee, J; Chaudhuri, K; Mukkerjee, K

2005-01-01

Aim: To describe a novel neural network based oral precancer (oral submucous fibrosis; OSF) stage detection method. Method: The wavelet coefficients of transmission electron microscopy images of collagen fibres from normal oral submucosa and OSF tissues were used to choose the feature vector which, in turn, was used to train the artificial neural network. Results: The trained network was able to classify normal and oral precancer stages (less advanced and advanced) after obtaining the image as an input. Conclusions: The results obtained from this proposed technique were promising and suggest that with further optimisation this method could be used to detect and stage OSF, and could be adapted for other conditions. PMID:16126873

Chemistry Viewed through the Eyes of High-Resolution Microscopy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beer, Michael; And Others

1981-01-01

This special report, prepared by several chemists working in the field of electron microscopy, provides information regarding the most recent developments in transmission and scanning electron microscopy that have chemical significance. (CS)

Correlative scanning-transmission electron microscopy reveals that a chimeric flavivirus is released as individual particles in secretory vesicles.

PubMed

Burlaud-Gaillard, Julien; Sellin, Caroline; Georgeault, Sonia; Uzbekov, Rustem; Lebos, Claude; Guillaume, Jean-Marc; Roingeard, Philippe

2014-01-01

The intracellular morphogenesis of flaviviruses has been well described, but flavivirus release from the host cell remains poorly documented. We took advantage of the optimized production of an attenuated chimeric yellow fever/dengue virus for vaccine purposes to study this phenomenon by microscopic approaches. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the release of numerous viral particles at the cell surface through a short-lived process. For transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies of the intracellular ultrastructure of the small number of cells releasing viral particles at a given time, we developed a new correlative microscopy method: CSEMTEM (for correlative scanning electron microscopy - transmission electron microscopy). CSEMTEM analysis suggested that chimeric flavivirus particles were released as individual particles, in small exocytosis vesicles, via a regulated secretory pathway. Our morphological findings provide new insight into interactions between flaviviruses and cells and demonstrate that CSEMTEM is a useful new method, complementary to SEM observations of biological events by intracellular TEM investigations.

Correlative Scanning-Transmission Electron Microscopy Reveals that a Chimeric Flavivirus Is Released as Individual Particles in Secretory Vesicles

PubMed Central

Burlaud-Gaillard, Julien; Sellin, Caroline; Georgeault, Sonia; Uzbekov, Rustem; Lebos, Claude; Guillaume, Jean-Marc; Roingeard, Philippe

2014-01-01

The intracellular morphogenesis of flaviviruses has been well described, but flavivirus release from the host cell remains poorly documented. We took advantage of the optimized production of an attenuated chimeric yellow fever/dengue virus for vaccine purposes to study this phenomenon by microscopic approaches. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the release of numerous viral particles at the cell surface through a short-lived process. For transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies of the intracellular ultrastructure of the small number of cells releasing viral particles at a given time, we developed a new correlative microscopy method: CSEMTEM (for correlative scanning electron microscopy - transmission electron microscopy). CSEMTEM analysis suggested that chimeric flavivirus particles were released as individual particles, in small exocytosis vesicles, via a regulated secretory pathway. Our morphological findings provide new insight into interactions between flaviviruses and cells and demonstrate that CSEMTEM is a useful new method, complementary to SEM observations of biological events by intracellular TEM investigations. PMID:24681578

Simultaneous Correlative Scanning Electron and High-NA Fluorescence Microscopy

PubMed Central

Liv, Nalan; Zonnevylle, A. Christiaan; Narvaez, Angela C.; Effting, Andries P. J.; Voorneveld, Philip W.; Lucas, Miriam S.; Hardwick, James C.; Wepf, Roger A.; Kruit, Pieter; Hoogenboom, Jacob P.

2013-01-01

Correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) is a unique method for investigating biological structure-function relations. With CLEM protein distributions visualized in fluorescence can be mapped onto the cellular ultrastructure measured with electron microscopy. Widespread application of correlative microscopy is hampered by elaborate experimental procedures related foremost to retrieving regions of interest in both modalities and/or compromises in integrated approaches. We present a novel approach to correlative microscopy, in which a high numerical aperture epi-fluorescence microscope and a scanning electron microscope illuminate the same area of a sample at the same time. This removes the need for retrieval of regions of interest leading to a drastic reduction of inspection times and the possibility for quantitative investigations of large areas and datasets with correlative microscopy. We demonstrate Simultaneous CLEM (SCLEM) analyzing cell-cell connections and membrane protrusions in whole uncoated colon adenocarcinoma cell line cells stained for actin and cortactin with AlexaFluor488. SCLEM imaging of coverglass-mounted tissue sections with both electron-dense and fluorescence staining is also shown. PMID:23409024

Writing silica structures in liquid with scanning transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

van de Put, Marcel W P; Carcouët, Camille C M C; Bomans, Paul H H; Friedrich, Heiner; de Jonge, Niels; Sommerdijk, Nico A J M

2015-02-04

Silica nanoparticles are imaged in solution with scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) using a liquid cell with silicon nitride (SiN) membrane windows. The STEM images reveal that silica structures are deposited in well-defined patches on the upper SiN membranes upon electron beam irradiation. The thickness of the deposits is linear with the applied electron dose. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) demonstrate that the deposited patches are a result of the merging of the original 20 nm-diameter nanoparticles, and that the related surface roughness depends on the electron dose rate used. Using this approach, sub-micrometer scale structures are written on the SiN in liquid by controlling the electron exposure as function of the lateral position. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A portable microscopy system for fluorescence, polarized, and brightfield imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gordon, Paul; Wattinger, Rolla; Lewis, Cody; Venancio, Vinicius Paula; Mertens-Talcott, Susanne U.; Coté, Gerard

2018-02-01

The use of mobile phones to conduct diagnostic microscopy at the point-of-care presents intriguing possibilities for the advancement of high-quality medical care in remote settings. However, it is challenging to create a single device that can adapt to the ever-varying camera technologies in phones or that can image with the customization that multiple modalities require for applications such as malaria diagnosis. A portable multi-modal microscope system is presented that utilizes a Raspberry Pi to collect and transmit data wirelessly to a myriad of electronic devices for image analysis. The microscopy system is capable of providing to the user correlated brightfield, polarized, and fluorescent images of samples fixed on traditional microscopy slides. The multimodal diagnostic capabilities of the microscope were assessed by measuring parasitemia of Plasmodium falciparum-infected thin blood smears. The device is capable of detecting fluorescently-labeled DNA using FITC excitation (490 nm) and emission (525 nm), the birefringent P. falciparum byproduct hemozoin, and detecting brightfield absorption with a resolution of 0.78 micrometers (element 9-3 of a 1951 Air Force Target). This microscopy system is a novel portable imaging tool that may be a viable candidate for field implementation if challenges of system durability, cost considerations, and full automation can be overcome.

X-ray microscopy as an approach to increasing accuracy and efficiency of serial block-face imaging for correlated light and electron microscopy of biological specimens.

PubMed

Bushong, Eric A; Johnson, Donald D; Kim, Keun-Young; Terada, Masako; Hatori, Megumi; Peltier, Steven T; Panda, Satchidananda; Merkle, Arno; Ellisman, Mark H

2015-02-01

The recently developed three-dimensional electron microscopic (EM) method of serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBEM) has rapidly established itself as a powerful imaging approach. Volume EM imaging with this scanning electron microscopy (SEM) method requires intense staining of biological specimens with heavy metals to allow sufficient back-scatter electron signal and also to render specimens sufficiently conductive to control charging artifacts. These more extreme heavy metal staining protocols render specimens light opaque and make it much more difficult to track and identify regions of interest (ROIs) for the SBEM imaging process than for a typical thin section transmission electron microscopy correlative light and electron microscopy study. We present a strategy employing X-ray microscopy (XRM) both for tracking ROIs and for increasing the efficiency of the workflow used for typical projects undertaken with SBEM. XRM was found to reveal an impressive level of detail in tissue heavily stained for SBEM imaging, allowing for the identification of tissue landmarks that can be subsequently used to guide data collection in the SEM. Furthermore, specific labeling of individual cells using diaminobenzidine is detectable in XRM volumes. We demonstrate that tungsten carbide particles or upconverting nanophosphor particles can be used as fiducial markers to further increase the precision and efficiency of SBEM imaging.

X-ray Microscopy as an Approach to Increasing Accuracy and Efficiency of Serial Block-face Imaging for Correlated Light and Electron Microscopy of Biological Specimens

PubMed Central

Bushong, Eric A.; Johnson, Donald D.; Kim, Keun-Young; Terada, Masako; Hatori, Megumi; Peltier, Steven T.; Panda, Satchidananda; Merkle, Arno; Ellisman, Mark H.

2015-01-01

The recently developed three-dimensional electron microscopic (EM) method of serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBEM) has rapidly established itself as a powerful imaging approach. Volume EM imaging with this scanning electron microscopy (SEM) method requires intense staining of biological specimens with heavy metals to allow sufficient back-scatter electron signal and also to render specimens sufficiently conductive to control charging artifacts. These more extreme heavy metal staining protocols render specimens light opaque and make it much more difficult to track and identify regions of interest (ROIs) for the SBEM imaging process than for a typical thin section transmission electron microscopy correlative light and electron microscopy study. We present a strategy employing X-ray microscopy (XRM) both for tracking ROIs and for increasing the efficiency of the workflow used for typical projects undertaken with SBEM. XRM was found to reveal an impressive level of detail in tissue heavily stained for SBEM imaging, allowing for the identification of tissue landmarks that can be subsequently used to guide data collection in the SEM. Furthermore, specific labeling of individual cells using diaminobenzidine is detectable in XRM volumes. We demonstrate that tungsten carbide particles or upconverting nanophosphor particles can be used as fiducial markers to further increase the precision and efficiency of SBEM imaging. PMID:25392009

Correlative cryo-fluorescence light microscopy and cryo-electron tomography of Streptomyces.

PubMed

Koning, Roman I; Celler, Katherine; Willemse, Joost; Bos, Erik; van Wezel, Gilles P; Koster, Abraham J

2014-01-01

Light microscopy and electron microscopy are complementary techniques that in a correlative approach enable identification and targeting of fluorescently labeled structures in situ for three-dimensional imaging at nanometer resolution. Correlative imaging allows electron microscopic images to be positioned in a broader temporal and spatial context. We employed cryo-correlative light and electron microscopy (cryo-CLEM), combining cryo-fluorescence light microscopy and cryo-electron tomography, on vitrified Streptomyces bacteria to study cell division. Streptomycetes are mycelial bacteria that grow as long hyphae and reproduce via sporulation. On solid media, Streptomyces subsequently form distinct aerial mycelia where cell division leads to the formation of unigenomic spores which separate and disperse to form new colonies. In liquid media, only vegetative hyphae are present divided by noncell separating crosswalls. Their multicellular life style makes them exciting model systems for the study of bacterial development and cell division. Complex intracellular structures have been visualized with transmission electron microscopy. Here, we describe the methods for cryo-CLEM that we applied for studying Streptomyces. These methods include cell growth, fluorescent labeling, cryo-fixation by vitrification, cryo-light microscopy using a Linkam cryo-stage, image overlay and relocation, cryo-electron tomography using a Titan Krios, and tomographic reconstruction. Additionally, methods for segmentation, volume rendering, and visualization of the correlative data are described. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Versatile High-Vacuum Cryo-transfer System for Cryo-microscopy and Analytics

PubMed Central

Tacke, Sebastian; Krzyzanek, Vladislav; Nüsse, Harald; Wepf, Roger Albert; Klingauf, Jürgen; Reichelt, Rudolf

2016-01-01

Cryogenic microscopy methods have gained increasing popularity, as they offer an unaltered view on the architecture of biological specimens. As a prerequisite, samples must be handled under cryogenic conditions below their recrystallization temperature, and contamination during sample transfer and handling must be prevented. We present a high-vacuum cryo-transfer system that streamlines the entire handling of frozen-hydrated samples from the vitrification process to low temperature imaging for scanning transmission electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. A template for cryo-electron microscopy and multimodal cryo-imaging approaches with numerous sample transfer steps is presented. PMID:26910419

Preparation and Characterization of Biomass-Derived Advanced Carbon Materials for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardiansyah, Andri; Chaldun, Elsy Rahimi; Nuryadin, Bebeh Wahid; Fikriyyah, Anti Khoerul; Subhan, Achmad; Ghozali, Muhammad; Purwasasmita, Bambang Sunendar

2018-04-01

In this study, carbon-based advanced materials for lithium-ion battery applications were prepared by using soybean waste-based biomass material, through a straightforward process of heat treatment followed by chemical modification processes. Various types of carbon-based advanced materials were developed. Physicochemical characteristics and electrochemical performance of the resultant materials were characterized systematically. Scanning electron microscopy observation revealed that the activated carbon and graphene exhibits wrinkles structures and porous morphology. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) revealed that both activated carbon and graphene-based material exhibited a good conductivity. For instance, the graphene-based material exhibited equivalent series resistance value of 25.9 Ω as measured by EIS. The graphene-based material also exhibited good reversibility and cyclic performance. Eventually, it would be anticipated that the utilization of soybean waste-based biomass material, which is conforming to the principles of green materials, could revolutionize the development of advanced material for high-performance energy storage applications, especially for lithium-ion batteries application.

Preparation and Characterization of Biomass-Derived Advanced Carbon Materials for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardiansyah, Andri; Chaldun, Elsy Rahimi; Nuryadin, Bebeh Wahid; Fikriyyah, Anti Khoerul; Subhan, Achmad; Ghozali, Muhammad; Purwasasmita, Bambang Sunendar

2018-07-01

In this study, carbon-based advanced materials for lithium-ion battery applications were prepared by using soybean waste-based biomass material, through a straightforward process of heat treatment followed by chemical modification processes. Various types of carbon-based advanced materials were developed. Physicochemical characteristics and electrochemical performance of the resultant materials were characterized systematically. Scanning electron microscopy observation revealed that the activated carbon and graphene exhibits wrinkles structures and porous morphology. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) revealed that both activated carbon and graphene-based material exhibited a good conductivity. For instance, the graphene-based material exhibited equivalent series resistance value of 25.9 Ω as measured by EIS. The graphene-based material also exhibited good reversibility and cyclic performance. Eventually, it would be anticipated that the utilization of soybean waste-based biomass material, which is conforming to the principles of green materials, could revolutionize the development of advanced material for high-performance energy storage applications, especially for lithium-ion batteries application.

Static and Dynamic Electron Microscopy Investigations at the Atomic and Ultrafast Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suri, Pranav Kumar

Advancements in the electron microscopy capabilities - aberration-corrected imaging, monochromatic spectroscopy, direct-electron detectors - have enabled routine visualization of atomic-scale processes with millisecond temporal resolutions in this decade. This, combined with progress in the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimen holder technology and nanofabrication techniques, allows comprehensive experiments on a wide range of materials in various phases via in situ methods. The development of ultrafast (sub-nanosecond) time-resolved TEM with ultrafast electron microscopy (UEM) has further pushed the envelope of in situ TEM to sub-nanosecond temporal resolution while maintaining sub-nanometer spatial resolution. A plethora of materials phenomena - including electron-phonon coupling, phonon transport, first-order phase transitions, bond rotation, plasmon dynamics, melting, and dopant atoms arrangement - are not yet clearly understood and could be benefitted with the current in situ TEM capabilities having atomic-level and ultrafast precision. Better understanding of these phenomena and intrinsic material dynamics (e.g. how phonons propagate in a material, what time-scales are involved in a first-order phase transition, how fast a material melts, where dopant atoms sit in a crystal) in new-generation and technologically important materials (e.g. two-dimensional layered materials, semiconductor and magnetic devices, rare-earth-element-free permanent magnets, unconventional superconductors) could bring a paradigm shift in their electronic, structural, magnetic, thermal and optical applications. Present research efforts, employing cutting-edge static and dynamic in situ electron microscopy resources at the University of Minnesota, are directed towards understanding the atomic-scale crystallographic structural transition and phonon transport in an iron-pnictide parent compound LaFeAsO, studying the mechanical stability of fast moving hard-drive heads in heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) technology, exploring the possibility of ductile ceramics in magnesium oxide (MgO) nanomaterials, and revealing the atomic-structure of newly discovered rare-earth-element-free iron nitride (FeN) magnetic materials. Via atomic-resolution imaging and electron diffraction coupled with in situ TEM cooling on LaFeAsO, it was found that additional effects not related to the structural transition, namely dynamical scattering and electron channeling, can give signatures reminiscent of those typically associated with the symmetry change. UEM studies on LaFeAsO revealed direct, real-space imaging of the emergence and evolution of acoustic phonons and resolved dispersion behavior during propagation and scattering. Via UEM bright-field imaging, megahertz vibrational frequencies were observed upon laser-illumination in TEM specimens made out of HAMR devices which could be detrimental to their long-term thermal and structural reliability. Compression testing of 100-350 nm single-crystal MgO nanocubes shows size-dependent stresses and engineering strains of 4-13.8 GPa and 0.046-0.221 respectively at the first signs of yield accompanied by an absence of brittle fracture, which is a significant increase in plasticity of a brittle ceramic material. Atomic-scale characterization of FeN phases show that it is possible to detect interstitial locations of low atomic-number nitrogen atoms in iron crystal and hints at a development of novel routes (without involving rare-earth elements) for bulk permanent magnet synthesis.

The New Electron Microscopy: Cells and Molecules in Three Dimensions | Poster

Cancer.gov

NCI recently announced the launch of the new National Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility (NCEF) at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR). The launch comes while cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is enjoying the spotlight as a newly emerging, rapidly evolving technology with the potential to revolutionize the field of structural biology. Read more...

Crystal structure of stacking faults in InGaAs/InAlAs/InAs heterostructures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trunkin, I. N.; Presniakov, M. Yu.; Vasiliev, A. L., E-mail: a.vasiliev56@gmail.com

Stacking faults and dislocations in InGaAs/InAlAs/InAs heterostructures have been studied by electron microscopy. The use of different techniques of transmission electron microscopy (primarily, highresolution dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy) has made it possible to determine the defect structure at the atomic level.

Near-infrared branding efficiently correlates light and electron microscopy.

PubMed

Bishop, Derron; Nikić, Ivana; Brinkoetter, Mary; Knecht, Sharmon; Potz, Stephanie; Kerschensteiner, Martin; Misgeld, Thomas

2011-06-05

The correlation of light and electron microscopy of complex tissues remains a major challenge. Here we report near-infrared branding (NIRB), which facilitates such correlation by using a pulsed, near-infrared laser to create defined fiducial marks in three dimensions in fixed tissue. As these marks are fluorescent and can be photo-oxidized to generate electron contrast, they can guide re-identification of previously imaged structures as small as dendritic spines by electron microscopy.

Polarization Control via He-Ion Beam Induced Nanofabrication in Layered Ferroelectric Semiconductors.

PubMed

Belianinov, Alex; Iberi, Vighter; Tselev, Alexander; Susner, Michael A; McGuire, Michael A; Joy, David; Jesse, Stephen; Rondinone, Adam J; Kalinin, Sergei V; Ovchinnikova, Olga S

2016-03-23

Rapid advances in nanoscience rely on continuous improvements of material manipulation at near-atomic scales. Currently, the workhorse of nanofabrication is resist-based lithography and its various derivatives. However, the use of local electron, ion, and physical probe methods is expanding, driven largely by the need for fabrication without the multistep preparation processes that can result in contamination from resists and solvents. Furthermore, probe-based methods extend beyond nanofabrication to nanomanipulation and to imaging which are all vital for a rapid transition to the prototyping and testing of devices. In this work we study helium ion interactions with the surface of bulk copper indium thiophosphate CuM(III)P2X6 (M = Cr, In; X= S, Se), a novel layered 2D material, with a Helium Ion Microscope (HIM). Using this technique, we are able to control ferrielectric domains and grow conical nanostructures with enhanced conductivity whose material volumes scale with the beam dosage. Compared to the copper indium thiophosphate (CITP) from which they grow, the nanostructures are oxygen rich, sulfur poor, and with virtually unchanged copper concentration as confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging contrast as well as scanning microwave microscopy (SMM) measurements suggest enhanced conductivity in the formed particles, whereas atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements indicate that the produced structures have lower dissipation and are softer as compared to the CITP.

Whole-brain serial-section electron microscopy in larval zebrafish.

PubMed

Hildebrand, David Grant Colburn; Cicconet, Marcelo; Torres, Russel Miguel; Choi, Woohyuk; Quan, Tran Minh; Moon, Jungmin; Wetzel, Arthur Willis; Scott Champion, Andrew; Graham, Brett Jesse; Randlett, Owen; Plummer, George Scott; Portugues, Ruben; Bianco, Isaac Henry; Saalfeld, Stephan; Baden, Alexander David; Lillaney, Kunal; Burns, Randal; Vogelstein, Joshua Tzvi; Schier, Alexander Franz; Lee, Wei-Chung Allen; Jeong, Won-Ki; Lichtman, Jeff William; Engert, Florian

2017-05-18

High-resolution serial-section electron microscopy (ssEM) makes it possible to investigate the dense meshwork of axons, dendrites, and synapses that form neuronal circuits. However, the imaging scale required to comprehensively reconstruct these structures is more than ten orders of magnitude smaller than the spatial extents occupied by networks of interconnected neurons, some of which span nearly the entire brain. Difficulties in generating and handling data for large volumes at nanoscale resolution have thus restricted vertebrate studies to fragments of circuits. These efforts were recently transformed by advances in computing, sample handling, and imaging techniques, but high-resolution examination of entire brains remains a challenge. Here, we present ssEM data for the complete brain of a larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) at 5.5 days post-fertilization. Our approach utilizes multiple rounds of targeted imaging at different scales to reduce acquisition time and data management requirements. The resulting dataset can be analysed to reconstruct neuronal processes, permitting us to survey all myelinated axons (the projectome). These reconstructions enable precise investigations of neuronal morphology, which reveal remarkable bilateral symmetry in myelinated reticulospinal and lateral line afferent axons. We further set the stage for whole-brain structure-function comparisons by co-registering functional reference atlases and in vivo two-photon fluorescence microscopy data from the same specimen. All obtained images and reconstructions are provided as an open-access resource.

Size characterization of airborne SiO2 nanoparticles with on-line and off-line measurement techniques: an interlaboratory comparison study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motzkus, C.; Macé, T.; Gaie-Levrel, F.; Ducourtieux, S.; Delvallee, A.; Dirscherl, K.; Hodoroaba, V.-D.; Popov, I.; Popov, O.; Kuselman, I.; Takahata, K.; Ehara, K.; Ausset, P.; Maillé, M.; Michielsen, N.; Bondiguel, S.; Gensdarmes, F.; Morawska, L.; Johnson, G. R.; Faghihi, E. M.; Kim, C. S.; Kim, Y. H.; Chu, M. C.; Guardado, J. A.; Salas, A.; Capannelli, G.; Costa, C.; Bostrom, T.; Jämting, Å. K.; Lawn, M. A.; Adlem, L.; Vaslin-Reimann, S.

2013-10-01

Results of an interlaboratory comparison on size characterization of SiO2 airborne nanoparticles using on-line and off-line measurement techniques are discussed. This study was performed in the framework of Technical Working Area (TWA) 34—"Properties of Nanoparticle Populations" of the Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS) in the project no. 3 "Techniques for characterizing size distribution of airborne nanoparticles". Two types of nano-aerosols, consisting of (1) one population of nanoparticles with a mean diameter between 30.3 and 39.0 nm and (2) two populations of non-agglomerated nanoparticles with mean diameters between, respectively, 36.2-46.6 nm and 80.2-89.8 nm, were generated for characterization measurements. Scanning mobility particle size spectrometers (SMPS) were used for on-line measurements of size distributions of the produced nano-aerosols. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy were used as off-line measurement techniques for nanoparticles characterization. Samples were deposited on appropriate supports such as grids, filters, and mica plates by electrostatic precipitation and a filtration technique using SMPS controlled generation upstream. The results of the main size distribution parameters (mean and mode diameters), obtained from several laboratories, were compared based on metrological approaches including metrological traceability, calibration, and evaluation of the measurement uncertainty. Internationally harmonized measurement procedures for airborne SiO2 nanoparticles characterization are proposed.

Self-organised silicide nanodot patterning by medium-energy ion beam sputtering of Si(100): local correlation between the morphology and metal content.

PubMed

Redondo-Cubero, A; Galiana, B; Lorenz, K; Palomares, F J; Bahena, D; Ballesteros, C; Hernandez-Calderón, I; Vázquez, L

2016-11-04

We have produced self-organised silicide nanodot patterns by medium-energy ion beam sputtering (IBS) of silicon targets with a simultaneous and isotropic molybdenum supply. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies show that these patterns are qualitatively similar to those produced thus far at low ion energies. We have determined the relevance of the ion species on the pattern ordering and properties. For the higher ordered patterns produced by Xe(+) ions, the pattern wavelength depends linearly on the ion energy. The dot nanostructures are silicide-rich as assessed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and emerge in height due to their lower sputtering yield, as observed by electron microscopy. Remarkably, a long wavelength corrugation is observed on the surface which is correlated with both the Mo content and the dot pattern properties. Thus, as assessed by electron microscopy, the protrusions are Mo-rich with higher and more spaced dots on their surface whereas the valleys are Mo-poor with smaller dots that are closer to each other. These findings indicate that there is a correlation between the local metal content of the surface and the nanodot pattern properties both at the nanodot and the large corrugation scales. These results contribute to advancing the understanding of this interesting nanofabrication method and aid in developing a comprehensive theory of nanodot pattern formation and evolution.

Whole-brain serial-section electron microscopy in larval zebrafish

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hildebrand, David Grant Colburn; Cicconet, Marcelo; Torres, Russel Miguel; Choi, Woohyuk; Quan, Tran Minh; Moon, Jungmin; Wetzel, Arthur Willis; Scott Champion, Andrew; Graham, Brett Jesse; Randlett, Owen; Plummer, George Scott; Portugues, Ruben; Bianco, Isaac Henry; Saalfeld, Stephan; Baden, Alexander David; Lillaney, Kunal; Burns, Randal; Vogelstein, Joshua Tzvi; Schier, Alexander Franz; Lee, Wei-Chung Allen; Jeong, Won-Ki; Lichtman, Jeff William; Engert, Florian

2017-05-01

High-resolution serial-section electron microscopy (ssEM) makes it possible to investigate the dense meshwork of axons, dendrites, and synapses that form neuronal circuits. However, the imaging scale required to comprehensively reconstruct these structures is more than ten orders of magnitude smaller than the spatial extents occupied by networks of interconnected neurons, some of which span nearly the entire brain. Difficulties in generating and handling data for large volumes at nanoscale resolution have thus restricted vertebrate studies to fragments of circuits. These efforts were recently transformed by advances in computing, sample handling, and imaging techniques, but high-resolution examination of entire brains remains a challenge. Here, we present ssEM data for the complete brain of a larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) at 5.5 days post-fertilization. Our approach utilizes multiple rounds of targeted imaging at different scales to reduce acquisition time and data management requirements. The resulting dataset can be analysed to reconstruct neuronal processes, permitting us to survey all myelinated axons (the projectome). These reconstructions enable precise investigations of neuronal morphology, which reveal remarkable bilateral symmetry in myelinated reticulospinal and lateral line afferent axons. We further set the stage for whole-brain structure-function comparisons by co-registering functional reference atlases and in vivo two-photon fluorescence microscopy data from the same specimen. All obtained images and reconstructions are provided as an open-access resource.

Sensing of single electrons using micro and nano technologies: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jalil, Jubayer; Zhu, Yong; Ekanayake, Chandima; Ruan, Yong

2017-04-01

During the last three decades, the remarkable dynamic features of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), and advances in solid-state electronics hold much potential for the fabrication of extremely sensitive charge sensors. These sensors have a broad range of applications, such as those involving the measurement of ionization radiation, detection of bio-analyte and aerosol particles, mass spectrometry, scanning tunneling microscopy, and quantum computation. Designing charge sensors (also known as charge electrometers) for electrometry is deemed significant because of the sensitivity and resolution issues in the range of micro- and nano-scales. This article reviews the development of state-of-the-art micro- and nano-charge sensors, and discusses their technological challenges for practical implementation.

Intracellular in situ labeling of TiO2 nanoparticles for fluorescence microscopy detection

PubMed Central

Brown, Koshonna; Thurn, Ted; Xin, Lun; Liu, William; Bazak, Remon; Chen, Si; Lai, Barry; Vogt, Stefan; Jacobsen, Chris; Paunesku, Tatjana; Woloschak, Gayle E.

2018-01-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles are produced for many different purposes, including development of therapeutic and diagnostic nanoparticles for cancer detection and treatment, drug delivery, induction of DNA double-strand breaks, and imaging of specific cells and subcellular structures. Currently, the use of optical microscopy, an imaging technique most accessible to biology and medical pathology, to detect TiO2 nanoparticles in cells and tissues ex vivo is limited with low detection limits, while more sensitive imaging methods (transmission electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence microscopy, etc.) have low throughput and technical and operational complications. Herein, we describe two in situ post-treatment labeling approaches to stain TiO2 nanoparticles taken up by the cells. The first approach utilizes fluorescent biotin and fluorescent streptavidin to label the nanoparticles before and after cellular uptake; the second approach is based on the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition, the so-called Click chemistry, for labeling and detection of azide-conjugated TiO2 nanoparticles with alkyne-conjugated fluorescent dyes such as Alexa Fluor 488. To confirm that optical fluorescence signals of these nanoparticles match the distribution of the Ti element, we used synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Titanium-specific XFM showed excellent overlap with the location of optical fluorescence detected by confocal microscopy. Therefore, future experiments with TiO2 nanoparticles may safely rely on confocal microscopy after in situ nanoparticle labeling using approaches described here. PMID:29541425

Intracellular in situ labeling of TiO2 nanoparticles for fluorescence microscopy detection.

PubMed

Brown, Koshonna; Thurn, Ted; Xin, Lun; Liu, William; Bazak, Remon; Chen, Si; Lai, Barry; Vogt, Stefan; Jacobsen, Chris; Paunesku, Tatjana; Woloschak, Gayle E

2018-01-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles are produced for many different purposes, including development of therapeutic and diagnostic nanoparticles for cancer detection and treatment, drug delivery, induction of DNA double-strand breaks, and imaging of specific cells and subcellular structures. Currently, the use of optical microscopy, an imaging technique most accessible to biology and medical pathology, to detect TiO 2 nanoparticles in cells and tissues ex vivo is limited with low detection limits, while more sensitive imaging methods (transmission electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence microscopy, etc.) have low throughput and technical and operational complications. Herein, we describe two in situ post-treatment labeling approaches to stain TiO 2 nanoparticles taken up by the cells. The first approach utilizes fluorescent biotin and fluorescent streptavidin to label the nanoparticles before and after cellular uptake; the second approach is based on the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition, the so-called Click chemistry, for labeling and detection of azide-conjugated TiO 2 nanoparticles with alkyne-conjugated fluorescent dyes such as Alexa Fluor 488. To confirm that optical fluorescence signals of these nanoparticles match the distribution of the Ti element, we used synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Titanium-specific XFM showed excellent overlap with the location of optical fluorescence detected by confocal microscopy. Therefore, future experiments with TiO 2 nanoparticles may safely rely on confocal microscopy after in situ nanoparticle labeling using approaches described here.

Neuroanatomy from Mesoscopic to Nanoscopic Scales: An Improved Method for the Observation of Semithin Sections by High-Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy

PubMed Central

Rodríguez, José-Rodrigo; Turégano-López, Marta; DeFelipe, Javier; Merchán-Pérez, Angel

2018-01-01

Semithin sections are commonly used to examine large areas of tissue with an optical microscope, in order to locate and trim the regions that will later be studied with the electron microscope. Ideally, the observation of semithin sections would be from mesoscopic to nanoscopic scales directly, instead of using light microscopy and then electron microscopy (EM). Here we propose a method that makes it possible to obtain high-resolution scanning EM images of large areas of the brain in the millimeter to nanometer range. Since our method is compatible with light microscopy, it is also feasible to generate hybrid light and electron microscopic maps. Additionally, the same tissue blocks that have been used to obtain semithin sections can later be used, if necessary, for transmission EM, or for focused ion beam milling and scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM). PMID:29568263

Neuroanatomy from Mesoscopic to Nanoscopic Scales: An Improved Method for the Observation of Semithin Sections by High-Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy.

PubMed

Rodríguez, José-Rodrigo; Turégano-López, Marta; DeFelipe, Javier; Merchán-Pérez, Angel

2018-01-01

Semithin sections are commonly used to examine large areas of tissue with an optical microscope, in order to locate and trim the regions that will later be studied with the electron microscope. Ideally, the observation of semithin sections would be from mesoscopic to nanoscopic scales directly, instead of using light microscopy and then electron microscopy (EM). Here we propose a method that makes it possible to obtain high-resolution scanning EM images of large areas of the brain in the millimeter to nanometer range. Since our method is compatible with light microscopy, it is also feasible to generate hybrid light and electron microscopic maps. Additionally, the same tissue blocks that have been used to obtain semithin sections can later be used, if necessary, for transmission EM, or for focused ion beam milling and scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM).

Advantages of indium-tin oxide-coated glass slides in correlative scanning electron microscopy applications of uncoated cultured cells.

PubMed

Pluk, H; Stokes, D J; Lich, B; Wieringa, B; Fransen, J

2009-03-01

A method of direct visualization by correlative scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fluorescence light microscopy of cell structures of tissue cultured cells grown on conductive glass slides is described. We show that by growing cells on indium-tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass slides, secondary electron (SE) and backscatter electron (BSE) images of uncoated cells can be obtained in high-vacuum SEM without charging artefacts. Interestingly, we observed that BSE imaging is influenced by both accelerating voltage and ITO coating thickness. By combining SE and BSE imaging with fluorescence light microscopy imaging, we were able to reveal detailed features of actin cytoskeletal and mitochondrial structures in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. We propose that the application of ITO glass as a substrate for cell culture can easily be extended and offers new opportunities for correlative light and electron microscopy studies of adherently growing cells.

Retraction: Using the Medipix3 detector for direct electron imaging in the range 60 keV to 200 keV in electron microscopy Retraction: Using the Medipix3 detector for direct electron imaging in the range 60 keV to 200 keV in electron microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mir, J. A.; Plackett, R.; Shipsey, I.; dos Santos, J. M. F.

2018-01-01

The paper "Using the Medipix3 detector for direct electron imaging in the range 60keV to 200keV in electron microscopy" by J.A. Mir, R. Plackett, I. Shipsey and J.M.F. dos Santos has been retracted following the authors' request on the basis of the existence of a disagreement about the ownership of the data, to prevent conflict between collaborators.

Spatial Resolution in Scanning Electron Microscopy and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Without a Specimen Vacuum Chamber.

PubMed

Nguyen, Kayla X; Holtz, Megan E; Richmond-Decker, Justin; Muller, David A

2016-08-01

A long-standing goal of electron microscopy has been the high-resolution characterization of specimens in their native environment. However, electron optics require high vacuum to maintain an unscattered and focused probe, a challenge for specimens requiring atmospheric or liquid environments. Here, we use an electron-transparent window at the base of a scanning electron microscope's objective lens to separate column vacuum from the specimen, enabling imaging under ambient conditions, without a specimen vacuum chamber. We demonstrate in-air imaging of specimens at nanoscale resolution using backscattered scanning electron microscopy (airSEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy. We explore resolution and contrast using Monte Carlo simulations and analytical models. We find that nanometer-scale resolution can be obtained at gas path lengths up to 400 μm, although contrast drops with increasing gas path length. As the electron-transparent window scatters considerably more than gas at our operating conditions, we observe that the densities and thicknesses of the electron-transparent window are the dominant limiting factors for image contrast at lower operating voltages. By enabling a variety of detector configurations, the airSEM is applicable to a wide range of environmental experiments including the imaging of hydrated biological specimens and in situ chemical and electrochemical processes.

Spatial Resolution in Scanning Electron Microscopy and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Without a Specimen Vacuum Chamber

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nguyen, Kayla X.; Holtz, Megan E.; Richmond-Decker, Justin

2016-07-25

Abstract A long-standing goal of electron microscopy has been the high-resolution characterization of specimens in their native environment. However, electron optics require high vacuum to maintain an unscattered and focused probe, a challenge for specimens requiring atmospheric or liquid environments. Here, we use an electron-transparent window at the base of a scanning electron microscope’s objective lens to separate column vacuum from the specimen, enabling imaging under ambient conditions, without a specimen vacuum chamber. We demonstrate in-air imaging of specimens at nanoscale resolution using backscattered scanning electron microscopy (airSEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy. We explore resolution and contrast using Montemore » Carlo simulations and analytical models. We find that nanometer-scale resolution can be obtained at gas path lengths up to 400μm, although contrast drops with increasing gas path length. As the electron-transparent window scatters considerably more than gas at our operating conditions, we observe that the densities and thicknesses of the electron-transparent window are the dominant limiting factors for image contrast at lower operating voltages. By enabling a variety of detector configurations, the airSEM is applicable to a wide range of environmental experiments including the imaging of hydrated biological specimens andin situchemical and electrochemical processes.« less

The Effect of Electron Beam Irradiation in Environmental Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy of Whole Cells in Liquid.

PubMed

Hermannsdörfer, Justus; Tinnemann, Verena; Peckys, Diana B; de Jonge, Niels

2016-06-01

Whole cells can be studied in their native liquid environment using electron microscopy, and unique information about the locations and stoichiometry of individual membrane proteins can be obtained from many cells thus taking cell heterogeneity into account. Of key importance for the further development of this microscopy technology is knowledge about the effect of electron beam radiation on the samples under investigation. We used environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) with scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) detection to examine the effect of radiation for whole fixed COS7 fibroblasts in liquid. The main observation was the localization of nanoparticle labels attached to epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs). It was found that the relative distances between the labels remained mostly unchanged (<1.5%) for electron doses ranging from the undamaged native state at 10 e-/Å2 toward 103 e-/Å2. This dose range was sufficient to determine the EGFR locations with nanometer resolution and to distinguish between monomers and dimers. Various different forms of radiation damage became visible at higher doses, including severe dislocation, and the dissolution of labels.

Chapter 14: Electron Microscopy on Thin Films for Solar Cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Romero, Manuel; Abou-Ras, Daniel; Nichterwitz, Melanie

2016-07-22

This chapter overviews the various techniques applied in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and highlights their possibilities and also limitations. It gives the various imaging and analysis techniques applied on a scanning electron microscope. The chapter shows that imaging is divided into that making use of secondary electrons (SEs) and of backscattered electrons (BSEs), resulting in different contrasts in the images and thus providing information on compositions, microstructures, and surface potentials. Whenever aiming for imaging and analyses at scales of down to the angstroms range, TEM and its related techniques are appropriate tools. In many cases,more » also SEM techniques provide the access to various material properties of the individual layers, not requiring specimen preparation as time consuming as TEM techniques. Finally, the chapter dedicates to cross-sectional specimen preparation for electron microscopy. The preparation decides indeed on the quality of imaging and analyses.« less

Electron microscopy methods in studies of cultural heritage sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vasiliev, A. L., E-mail: a.vasiliev56@gmail.com; Kovalchuk, M. V.; Yatsishina, E. B.

The history of the development and application of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDXMA) in studies of cultural heritage sites is considered. In fact, investigations based on these methods began when electron microscopes became a commercial product. Currently, these methods, being developed and improved, help solve many historical enigmas. To date, electron microscopy combined with microanalysis makes it possible to investigate any object, from parchment and wooden articles to pigments, tools, and objects of art. Studies by these methods have revealed that some articles were made by ancient masters using ancient “nanotechnologies”; hence,more » their comprehensive analysis calls for the latest achievements in the corresponding instrumental methods and sample preparation techniques.« less

Electron microscopy methods in studies of cultural heritage sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasiliev, A. L.; Kovalchuk, M. V.; Yatsishina, E. B.

2016-11-01

The history of the development and application of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDXMA) in studies of cultural heritage sites is considered. In fact, investigations based on these methods began when electron microscopes became a commercial product. Currently, these methods, being developed and improved, help solve many historical enigmas. To date, electron microscopy combined with microanalysis makes it possible to investigate any object, from parchment and wooden articles to pigments, tools, and objects of art. Studies by these methods have revealed that some articles were made by ancient masters using ancient "nanotechnologies"; hence, their comprehensive analysis calls for the latest achievements in the corresponding instrumental methods and sample preparation techniques.

A scanning electron microscopy study of the macro-crystalline structure of 2-(2,4-dinitrobenzyl) pyridine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ware, Jacqueline; Hammond, Ernest C., Jr.

1989-01-01

The compound, 2-(2,4-dinitrobenzyl) pyridine, was synthesized in the laboratory; an introductory level electron microscopy study of the macro-crystalline structure was conducted using the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The structure of these crystals was compared with the macrostructure of the crystal of 2-(2,4-dinitrobenzyl) pyridinium bromide, the hydrobromic salt of the compound which was also synthesized in the laboratory. A scanning electron microscopy crystal study was combined with a study of the principle of the electron microscope.

Hierarchical microstructures in CZT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundaram, S. K.; Henager, C. H.; Edwards, D. J.; Schemer-Kohrn, A. L.; Bliss, M.; Riley, B. R.; Toloczko, M. B.; Lynn, K. G.

2011-10-01

Advanced characterization tools, such as electron backscatter diffraction and transmitted IR microscopy, are being applied to study critical microstructural features and orientation relations in as-grown CZT crystals to aid in understanding the relation between structure and properties in radiation detectors. Even carefully prepared single crystals of CZT contain regions of slight misorientation, Te-particles, and dislocation networks that must be understood for more accurate models of detector response. This paper describes initial research at PNNL into the hierarchy of microstructures observed in CZT grown via the vertical gradient freeze or vertical Bridgman method at PNNL and WSU.

ACE-1 experiment

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-24

ISS036-E-019783 (24 June 2013) --- In the International Space Station’s Destiny laboratory, a fisheye lens attached to an electronic still camera was used to capture this image of NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, Expedition 36 flight engineer, as she conducts a session with the Advanced Colloids Experiment (ACE)-1 sample preparation at the Light Microscopy Module (LMM) in the Fluids Integrated Rack / Fluids Combustion Facility (FIR/FCF). ACE-1 is a series of microscopic imaging investigations that uses the microgravity environment to examine flow characteristics and the evolution and ordering effects within a group of colloidal materials.

Tungsten Contact and Line Resistance Reduction with Advanced Pulsed Nucleation Layer and Low Resistivity Tungsten Treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandrashekar, Anand; Chen, Feng; Lin, Jasmine; Humayun, Raashina; Wongsenakhum, Panya; Chang, Sean; Danek, Michal; Itou, Takamasa; Nakayama, Tomoo; Kariya, Atsushi; Kawaguchi, Masazumi; Hizume, Shunichi

2010-09-01

This paper describes electrical testing results of new tungsten chemical vapor deposition (CVD-W) process concepts that were developed to address the W contact and bitline scaling issues on 55 nm node devices. Contact resistance (Rc) measurements in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices indicate that the new CVD-W process for sub-32 nm and beyond - consisting of an advanced pulsed nucleation layer (PNL) combined with low resistivity tungsten (LRW) initiation - produces a 20-30% drop in Rc for diffused NiSi contacts. From cross-sectional bright field and dark field transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, such Rc improvement can be attributed to improved plugfill and larger in-feature W grain size with the advanced PNL+LRW process. More experiments that measured contact resistance for different feature sizes point to favorable Rc scaling with the advanced PNL+LRW process. Finally, 40% improvement in line resistance was observed with this process as tested on 55 nm embedded dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices, confirming that the advanced PNL+LRW process can be an effective metallization solution for sub-32 nm devices.

SQ109, a New Drug Lead for Chagas Disease

PubMed Central

Veiga-Santos, Phercyles; Li, Kai; Lameira, Lilianne; de Carvalho, Tecia Maria Ulisses; Huang, Guozhong; Galizzi, Melina; Shang, Na; Li, Qian; Gonzalez-Pacanowska, Dolores; Hernandez-Rodriguez, Vanessa; Benaim, Gustavo; Guo, Rey-Ting; Urbina, Julio A.; Docampo, Roberto; de Souza, Wanderley

2015-01-01

We tested the antituberculosis drug SQ109, which is currently in advanced clinical trials for the treatment of drug-susceptible and drug-resistant tuberculosis, for its in vitro activity against the trypanosomatid parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. SQ109 was found to be a potent inhibitor of the trypomastigote form of the parasite, with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) for cell killing of 50 ± 8 nM, but it had little effect (50% effective concentration [EC50], ∼80 μM) in a red blood cell hemolysis assay. It also inhibited extracellular epimastigotes (IC50, 4.6 ± 1 μM) and the clinically relevant intracellular amastigotes (IC50, ∼0.5 to 1 μM), with a selectivity index of ∼10 to 20. SQ109 caused major ultrastructural changes in all three life cycle forms, as observed by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It rapidly collapsed the inner mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) in succinate-energized mitochondria, acting in the same manner as the uncoupler FCCP [carbonyl cyanide 4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenylhydrazone], and it caused the alkalinization of internal acidic compartments, effects that are likely to make major contributions to its mechanism of action. The compound also had activity against squalene synthase, binding to its active site; it inhibited sterol side-chain reduction and, in the amastigote assay, acted synergistically with the antifungal drug posaconazole, with a fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) of 0.48, but these effects are unlikely to account for the rapid effects seen on cell morphology and cell killing. SQ109 thus most likely acts, at least in part, by collapsing Δψ/ΔpH, one of the major mechanisms demonstrated previously for its action against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Overall, the results suggest that SQ109, which is currently in advanced clinical trials for the treatment of drug-susceptible and drug-resistant tuberculosis, may also have potential as a drug lead against Chagas disease. PMID:25583723

Tissue and cellular localization of tannins in Tunisian dates (Phoenix dactylifera L.) by light and transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Hammouda, Hédi; Alvarado, Camille; Bouchet, Brigitte; Kalthoum-Chérif, Jamila; Trabelsi-Ayadi, Malika; Guyot, Sylvain

2014-07-16

A histological approach including light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to provide accurate information on the localization of condensed tannins in the edible tissues and in the stone of date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L.). Light microscopy was carried out on fresh tissues after staining by 4-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (DMACA) for a specific detection of condensed tannins. Thus, whether under light microscopy or transmission electron microscopy (TEM), results showed that tannins are not located in the epidermis but more deeply in the mesocarp in the vacuole of very large cells. Regarding the stones, tannins are found in a specific cell layer located at 50 μm from the sclereid cells of the testa.

Simultaneous observation of the quantization and the interference pattern of a plasmonic near-field

DOE PAGES

Piazza, L.; Lummen, T. T. A.; Quiñonez, E.; ...

2015-03-02

Surface plasmon polaritons can confine electromagnetic fields in subwavelength spaces and are of interest for photonics, optical data storage devices and biosensing applications. In analogy to photons, they exhibit wave–particle duality, whose different aspects have recently been observed in separate tailored experiments. Here we demonstrate the ability of ultrafast transmission electron microscopy to simultaneously image both the spatial interference and the quantization of such confined plasmonic fields. Our experiments are accomplished by spatiotemporally overlapping electron and light pulses on a single nanowire suspended on a graphene film. The resulting energy exchange between single electrons and the quanta of the photoinducedmore » near-field is imaged synchronously with its spatial interference pattern. In conclusion, this methodology enables the control and visualization of plasmonic fields at the nanoscale, providing a promising tool for understanding the fundamental properties of confined electromagnetic fields and the development of advanced photonic circuits.« less

Origins and demonstrations of electrons with orbital angular momentum

PubMed Central

Agrawal, Amit; Ercius, Peter A.; Grillo, Vincenzo; Herzing, Andrew A.; Harvey, Tyler R.; Linck, Martin; Pierce, Jordan S.

2017-01-01

The surprising message of Allen et al. (Allen et al. 1992 Phys. Rev. A 45, 8185 (doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.45.8185)) was that photons could possess orbital angular momentum in free space, which subsequently launched advancements in optical manipulation, microscopy, quantum optics, communications, many more fields. It has recently been shown that this result also applies to quantum mechanical wave functions describing massive particles (matter waves). This article discusses how electron wave functions can be imprinted with quantized phase vortices in analogous ways to twisted light, demonstrating that charged particles with non-zero rest mass can possess orbital angular momentum in free space. With Allen et al. as a bridge, connections are made between this recent work in electron vortex wave functions and much earlier works, extending a 175 year old tradition in matter wave vortices. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Optical orbital angular momentum’. PMID:28069765

Irradiation Creep in Graphite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ubic, Rick; Butt, Darryl; Windes, William

2014-03-13

An understanding of the underlying mechanisms of irradiation creep in graphite material is required to correctly interpret experimental data, explain micromechanical modeling results, and predict whole-core behavior. This project will focus on experimental microscopic data to demonstrate the mechanism of irradiation creep. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy should be able to image both the dislocations in graphite and the irradiation-induced interstitial clusters that pin those dislocations. The team will first prepare and characterize nanoscale samples of virgin nuclear graphite in a transmission electron microscope. Additional samples will be irradiated to varying degrees at the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) facility and similarlymore » characterized. Researchers will record microstructures and crystal defects and suggest a mechanism for irradiation creep based on the results. In addition, the purchase of a tensile holder for a transmission electron microscope will allow, for the first time, in situ observation of creep behavior on the microstructure and crystallographic defects.« less

Simultaneous observation of the quantization and the interference pattern of a plasmonic near-field

PubMed Central

Piazza, L; Lummen, T.T.A.; Quiñonez, E; Murooka, Y; Reed, B.W.; Barwick, B; Carbone, F

2015-01-01

Surface plasmon polaritons can confine electromagnetic fields in subwavelength spaces and are of interest for photonics, optical data storage devices and biosensing applications. In analogy to photons, they exhibit wave–particle duality, whose different aspects have recently been observed in separate tailored experiments. Here we demonstrate the ability of ultrafast transmission electron microscopy to simultaneously image both the spatial interference and the quantization of such confined plasmonic fields. Our experiments are accomplished by spatiotemporally overlapping electron and light pulses on a single nanowire suspended on a graphene film. The resulting energy exchange between single electrons and the quanta of the photoinduced near-field is imaged synchronously with its spatial interference pattern. This methodology enables the control and visualization of plasmonic fields at the nanoscale, providing a promising tool for understanding the fundamental properties of confined electromagnetic fields and the development of advanced photonic circuits. PMID:25728197

Liquid scanning transmission electron microscopy: imaging protein complexes in their native environment in whole eukaryotic cells.

PubMed

Peckys, Diana B; de Jonge, Niels

2014-04-01

Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) of specimens in liquid, so-called Liquid STEM, is capable of imaging the individual subunits of macromolecular complexes in whole eukaryotic cells in liquid. This paper discusses this new microscopy modality within the context of state-of-the-art microscopy of cells. The principle of operation and equations for the resolution are described. The obtained images are different from those acquired with standard transmission electron microscopy showing the cellular ultrastructure. Instead, contrast is obtained on specific labels. Images can be recorded in two ways, either via STEM at 200 keV electron beam energy using a microfluidic chamber enclosing the cells, or via environmental scanning electron microscopy at 30 keV of cells in a wet environment. The first series of experiments involved the epidermal growth factor receptor labeled with gold nanoparticles. The labels were imaged in whole fixed cells with nanometer resolution. Since the cells can be kept alive in the microfluidic chamber, it is also feasible to detect the labels in unfixed, live cells. The rapid sample preparation and imaging allows studies of multiple whole cells.

Physicochemical characterization and aerosol dispersion performance of organic solution advanced spray-dried cyclosporine A multifunctional particles for dry powder inhalation aerosol delivery

PubMed Central

Wu, Xiao; Zhang, Weifen; Hayes, Don; Mansour, Heidi M

2013-01-01

In this systematic and comprehensive study, inhalation powders of the polypeptide immunosuppressant drug – cyclosporine A – for lung delivery as dry powder inhalers (DPIs) were successfully designed, developed, and optimized. Several spray drying pump rates were rationally chosen. Comprehensive physicochemical characterization and imaging was carried out using scanning electron microscopy, hot-stage microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, powder X-ray diffraction, Karl Fischer titration, laser size diffraction, and gravimetric vapor sorption. Aerosol dispersion performance was conducted using a next generation impactor with a Food and Drug Administration-approved DPI device. These DPIs displayed excellent aerosol dispersion performance with high values in emitted dose, respirable fraction, and fine particle fraction. In addition, novel multifunctional inhalation aerosol powder formulations of cyclosporine A with lung surfactant-mimic phospholipids were also successfully designed and developed by advanced organic solution cospray drying in closed mode. The lung surfactantmimic phospholipids were 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-snglycero- 3-(phosphor-rac-1-glycerol). These cyclosporine A lung surfactant-mimic aerosol powder formulations were comprehensively characterized. Powder X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry confirmed that the phospholipid bilayer structure in the solid state was preserved following advanced organic solution spray drying in closed mode. These novel multifunctional inhalation powders were optimized for DPI delivery with excellent aerosol dispersion performance and high aerosol performance parameters. PMID:23569375

New modes of electron microscopy for materials science enabled by fast direct electron detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minor, Andrew

There is an ongoing revolution in the development of electron detector technology that has enabled modes of electron microscopy imaging that had only before been theorized. The age of electron microscopy as a tool for imaging is quickly giving way to a new frontier of multidimensional datasets to be mined. These improvements in electron detection have enabled cryo-electron microscopy to resolve the three-dimensional structures of non-crystalized proteins, revolutionizing structural biology. In the physical sciences direct electron detectors has enabled four-dimensional reciprocal space maps of materials at atomic resolution, providing all the structural information about nanoscale materials in one experiment. This talk will highlight the impact of direct electron detectors for materials science, including a new method of scanning nanobeam diffraction. With faster detectors we can take a series of 2D diffraction patterns at each position in a 2D STEM raster scan resulting in a four-dimensional data set. For thin film analysis, direct electron detectors hold the potential to enable strain, polarization, composition and electrical field mapping over relatively large fields of view, all from a single experiment.

Fluorescence Microscopy Gets Faster and Clearer: Roles of Photochemistry and Selective Illumination

PubMed Central

Wolenski, Joseph S.; Julich, Doerthe

2014-01-01

Significant advances in fluorescence microscopy tend be a balance between two competing qualities wherein improvements in resolution and low light detection are typically accompanied by losses in acquisition rate and signal-to-noise, respectively. These trade-offs are becoming less of a barrier to biomedical research as recent advances in optoelectronic microscopy and developments in fluorophore chemistry have enabled scientists to see beyond the diffraction barrier, image deeper into live specimens, and acquire images at unprecedented speed. Selective plane illumination microscopy has provided significant gains in the spatial and temporal acquisition of fluorescence specimens several mm in thickness. With commercial systems now available, this method promises to expand on recent advances in 2-photon deep-tissue imaging with improved speed and reduced photobleaching compared to laser scanning confocal microscopy. Superresolution microscopes are also available in several modalities and can be coupled with selective plane illumination techniques. The combination of methods to increase resolution, acquisition speed, and depth of collection are now being married to common microscope systems, enabling scientists to make significant advances in live cell and in situ imaging in real time. We show that light sheet microscopy provides significant advantages for imaging live zebrafish embryos compared to laser scanning confocal microscopy. PMID:24600334

Solvent-like ligand-coated ultrasmall cadmium selenide nanocrystals: strong electronic coupling in a self-organized assembly.

PubMed

Lawrence, Katie N; Johnson, Merrell A; Dolai, Sukanta; Kumbhar, Amar; Sardar, Rajesh

2015-07-21

Strong inter-nanocrystal electronic coupling is a prerequisite for delocalization of exciton wave functions and high conductivity. We report 170 meV electronic coupling energy of short chain poly(ethylene glycol) thiolate-coated ultrasmall (<2.5 nm in diameter) CdSe semiconductor nanocrystals (SNCs) in solution. Cryo-transmission electron microscopy analysis showed the formation of a pearl-necklace assembly of nanocrystals in solution with regular inter-nanocrystal spacing. The electronic coupling was studied as a function of CdSe nanocrystal size where the smallest nanocrystals exhibited the largest coupling energy. The electronic coupling in spin-cast thin-film (<200 nm in thickness) of poly(ethylene glycol) thiolate-coated CdSe SNCs was studied as a function of annealing temperature, where an unprecedentedly large, ∼400 meV coupling energy was observed for 1.6 nm diameter SNCs, which were coated with a thin layer of poly(ethylene glycol) thiolates. Small-angle X-ray scattering measurements showed that CdSe SNCs maintained an order array inside the films. The strong electronic coupling of SNCs in a self-organized film could facilitate the large-scale production of highly efficient electronic materials for advanced optoelectronic device application.

Three-Dimensional Intercalated Porous Graphene on Si(111)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, Trung T.; Sporken, Robert

2018-02-01

Three-dimensional intercalated porous graphene has been formed on Si(111) by electron beam evaporation under appropriate conditions and its structural and electronic properties investigated in detail by reflection high-energy electron diffraction, x-ray photoemission spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and scanning tunneling microscopy. The results show that the crystalline quality of the porous graphene depended not only on the substrate temperature but also on the SiC layer thickness during carbon atom deposition.

Probing Structural and Electronic Dynamics with Ultrafast Electron Microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Plemmons, DA; Suri, PK; Flannigan, DJ

In this Perspective, we provide an overview,of the field of ultrafast electron microscopy (UEM). We begin by briefly discussing the emergence of methods for probing ultrafast structural dynamics and the information that can be obtained. Distinctions are drawn between the two main types a probes for femtosecond (fs) dynamics fast electrons and X-ray photons and emphasis is placed on hour the nature of charged particles is exploited in ultrafast electron-based' experiments:. Following this, we describe the versatility enabled by the ease with which electron trajectories and velocities can be manipulated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM): hardware configurations, and we emphasizemore » how this is translated to the ability to measure scattering intensities in real, reciprocal, and energy space from presurveyed and selected rianoscale volumes. Owing to decades of ongoing research and development into TEM instrumentation combined with advances in specimen holder technology, comprehensive experiments can be conducted on a wide range of materials in various phases via in situ methods. Next, we describe the basic operating concepts, of UEM, and we emphasize that its development has led to extension of several of the formidable capabilities of TEM into the fs domain, dins increasing the accessible temporal parameter spade by several orders of magnitude. We then divide UEM studies into those conducted in real (imaging), reciprocal (diffraction), and energy (spectroscopy) spate. We begin each of these sections by providing a brief description of the basic operating principles and the types of information that can be gathered followed by descriptions of how these approaches are applied in UM, the type of specimen parameter space that can be probed, and an example of the types of dynamics that can be resolved. We conclude with an Outlook section, wherein we share our perspective on some future directions of the field pertaining to continued instrument development and application of the technique to solving seemingly intractable materials problems in addition to discovery-based research. Our goal with this Perspective is to bring the capabilities of TIEM to the-attention of materials scientists, chemists, physicists, and engineers in hopes that new,avenues of research emerge and to make clear the large parameter space that is opened by extending TEM, and the ability to readily manipulate electron trajectories and energies, into the ultrafast domain.« less

Electron Tomography: A Three-Dimensional Analytic Tool for Hard and Soft Materials Research

DOE PAGES

Ercius, Peter; Alaidi, Osama; Rames, Matthew J.; ...

2015-06-18

Three-dimensional (3D) structural analysis is essential to understand the relationship between the structure and function of an object. Many analytical techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, neutron spectroscopy, and electron microscopy imaging, are used to provide structural information. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), one of the most popular analytic tools, has been widely used for structural analysis in both physical and biological sciences for many decades, in which 3D objects are projected into two-dimensional (2D) images. In many cases, 2D-projection images are insufficient to understand the relationship between the 3D structure and the function of nanoscale objects. Electron tomography (ET) is amore » technique that retrieves 3D structural information from a tilt series of 2D projections, and is gradually becoming a mature technology with sub-nanometer resolution. Distinct methods to overcome sample-based limitations have been separately developed in both physical and biological science, although they share some basic concepts of ET. Here, this review discusses the common basis for 3D characterization, and specifies difficulties and solutions regarding both hard and soft materials research. It is hoped that novel solutions based on current state-of-the-art techniques for advanced applications in hybrid matter systems can be motivated. Electron tomography produces quantitative 3D reconstructions for biological and physical sciences from sets of 2D projections acquired at different tilting angles in a transmission electron microscope. Finally, state-of-the-art techniques capable of producing 3D representations such as Pt-Pd core-shell nanoparticles and IgG1 antibody molecules are reviewed.« less

Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy | Materials Science | NREL

Science.gov Websites

mode by collecting the EDS and EELS signals point-by-point as one scans the electron probe across the . Examples of Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Capabilities Z-contrast image microphoto taken by

Diagnostic electron microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dickersin, G.R.

1988-01-01

In this book the author presents a comprehensive reference text on diagnostic electron microscopy. Throughout the book he illustrates how ultrastructural identification can be helpful for the recognition of cell type and the identification of mechanisms of pathogenesis in various diseases. In addition to electron microscopy photographs, there are also numerous light microscopy photographs for comparison. This text presents the classification of neoplasms in the order and arrangement most familiar to the pathologist. Contents: Introduction; Diagram of a Normal Cell; Normal Cell Function; Embryology; Neoplasms; Infectious Agents; Metabolic Diseases; Renal Diseases; Skeletal Muscle and Peripheral Nerve Diseases; Index.

Mechanical Properties of Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor Stainless Steel Cladding After Irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Degueldre, Claude; Fahy, James; Kolosov, Oleg; Wilbraham, Richard J.; Döbeli, Max; Renevier, Nathalie; Ball, Jonathan; Ritter, Stefan

2018-05-01

The production of helium bubbles in advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR) cladding could represent a significant hazard for both the mechanical stability and long-term storage of such materials. However, the high radioactivity of AGR cladding after operation presents a significant barrier to the scientific study of the mechanical properties of helium incorporation, said cladding typically being analyzed in industrial hot cells. An alternative non-active approach is to implant He2+ into unused AGR cladding material via an accelerator. Here, a feasibility study of such a process, using sequential implantations of helium in AGR cladding steel with decreasing energy is carried out to mimic the buildup of He (e.g., 50 appm) that would occur for in-reactor AGR clad in layers of the order of 10 µm in depth, is described. The implanted sample is subsequently analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, nanoindentation, atomic force and ultrasonic force microscopies. As expected, the irradiated zones were affected by implantation damage (< 1 dpa). Nonetheless, such zones undergo only nanoscopic swelling and a small hardness increase ( 10%), with no appreciable decrease in fracture strength. Thus, for this fluence and applied conditions, the integrity of the steel cladding is retained despite He2+ implantation.

Mechanical Properties of Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor Stainless Steel Cladding After Irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Degueldre, Claude; Fahy, James; Kolosov, Oleg; Wilbraham, Richard J.; Döbeli, Max; Renevier, Nathalie; Ball, Jonathan; Ritter, Stefan

2018-04-01

The production of helium bubbles in advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR) cladding could represent a significant hazard for both the mechanical stability and long-term storage of such materials. However, the high radioactivity of AGR cladding after operation presents a significant barrier to the scientific study of the mechanical properties of helium incorporation, said cladding typically being analyzed in industrial hot cells. An alternative non-active approach is to implant He2+ into unused AGR cladding material via an accelerator. Here, a feasibility study of such a process, using sequential implantations of helium in AGR cladding steel with decreasing energy is carried out to mimic the buildup of He (e.g., 50 appm) that would occur for in-reactor AGR clad in layers of the order of 10 µm in depth, is described. The implanted sample is subsequently analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, nanoindentation, atomic force and ultrasonic force microscopies. As expected, the irradiated zones were affected by implantation damage (< 1 dpa). Nonetheless, such zones undergo only nanoscopic swelling and a small hardness increase ( 10%), with no appreciable decrease in fracture strength. Thus, for this fluence and applied conditions, the integrity of the steel cladding is retained despite He2+ implantation.

Microstructural features of friction stir welded dissimilar Aluminium alloys AA2219-AA7475

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaman Khan, Noor; Ubaid, Mohammed; Siddiquee, Arshad Noor; Khan, Zahid A.; Al-Ahmari, Abdulrahman; Chen, Xizhang; Haider Abidi, Mustufa

2018-05-01

High strength, good corrosion resistance, light weight make aluminium alloys a material of choice in many industrial sectors like aerospace, marine etc. Problems associated with welding of these alloys by fusion welding processes restricted their use in various industries. Friction stir welding (FSW), a clean solid-state joining process, easily overcomes various difficulties encountered during conventional fusion welding processes. In the present work, the effect of rotational speed (710 rpm, 900 rpm and 1120 rpm) on micro-hardness distribution and microstructure of FSWed dissimilar aluminium alloy joints were analyzed. Plates of AA7475-T761 and AA2219-O having thickness of 2.5 mm were welded by fixing AA7475 on retreating side (RS) and AA2219 on advancing side (AS). Welded joints were characterized by Vickers micro-hardness testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy (OM). Results revealed that rotational speed significantly affects the micro-hardness due to increase in grain size, coarsening and dissolution of strengthening precipitates and re-precipitation. Higher micro-hardness values were observed in stir zone due to grain refinement and re-precipitation. Minimum micro-hardness value was observed at the TMAZ/HAZ of advancing side due to thermal softening.

HALE STAIN FOR SIALIC ACID-CONTAINING MUCINS. ADAPTATION TO ELECTRON MICROSCOPY.

PubMed

GASIC, G; BERWICK, L

1963-10-01

The feasibility of using the Hale stain to identify cellular sialic acid-containing mucins by electron microscopy was investigated. Three kinds of mouse ascites tumor cells were fixed in neutral buffered formalin, exposed to fresh colloidal ferric oxide, treated with potassium ferrocyanide, imbedded in Selectron, and sectioned for electron microscopy. Additional staining with uranyl acetate and potassium permanganate was done after sectioning in order to increase contrast. Those cells known to be coated with sialomucin showed deposits of electron-opaque ferric ferrocyanide crystals in the areas where sialomucin concentrations were expected. When these cells were treated with neuraminidase beforehand, these deposits did not appear. It was concluded that, with the precautions and modifications described, the Hale stain can be successfully combined with electron microscopy to identify sialomucin.

Cryo-Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM)-in-SEM for Bio- and Organo-Mineral Interface Characterization in the Environment.

PubMed

Wille, Guillaume; Hellal, Jennifer; Ollivier, Patrick; Richard, Annie; Burel, Agnes; Jolly, Louis; Crampon, Marc; Michel, Caroline

2017-12-01

Understanding biofilm interactions with surrounding substratum and pollutants/particles can benefit from the application of existing microscopy tools. Using the example of biofilm interactions with zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI), this study aims to apply various approaches in biofilm preparation and labeling for fluorescent or electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) microanalysis for accurate observations. According to the targeted microscopy method, biofilms were sampled as flocs or attached biofilm, submitted to labeling using 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindol, lectins PNA and ConA coupled to fluorescent dye or gold nanoparticles, and prepared for observation (fixation, cross-section, freezing, ultramicrotomy). Fluorescent microscopy revealed that nZVI were embedded in the biofilm structure as aggregates but the resolution was insufficient to observe individual nZVI. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations showed nZVI aggregates close to bacteria, but it was not possible to confirm direct interactions between nZVI and cell membranes. Scanning transmission electron microscopy in the SEM (STEM-in-SEM) showed that nZVI aggregates could enter the biofilm to a depth of 7-11 µm. Bacteria were surrounded by a ring of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) preventing direct nZVI/membrane interactions. STEM/EDS mapping revealed a co-localization of nZVI aggregates with lectins suggesting a potential role of EPS in nZVI embedding. Thus, the combination of divergent microscopy approaches is a good approach to better understand and characterize biofilm/metal interactions.

Electronic Structure and Morphology of Graphene Layers on SiC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohta, Taisuke

2008-03-01

Recent years have witnessed the discovery and the unique electronic properties of graphene, a sheet of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice. The unique linear dispersion relation of charge carriers near the Fermi level (``Dirac Fermions'') lead to exciting transport properties, such as an unusual quantum Hall effect, and have aroused scientific and technological interests. On the way towards graphene-based electronics, a knowledge of the electronic band structure and the morphology of epitaxial graphene films on silicon carbide substrates is imperative. We have studied the evolution of the occupied band structure and the morphology of graphene layers on silicon carbide by systematically increasing the layer thickness. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we examine this unique 2D system in its development from single layer to multilayers, by characteristic changes in the π band, the highest occupied state, and the dispersion relation in the out-of-plane electron wave vector in particular. The evolution of the film morphology is evaluated by the combination of low-energy electron microscopy and ARPES. By exploiting the sensitivity of graphene's electronic states to the charge carrier concentration, changes in the on-site Coulomb potential leading to a change of π and π* bands can be examined using ARPES. We demonstrate that, in a graphene bilayer, the gap between π and π* bands can be controlled by selectively adjusting relative carrier concentrations, which suggests a possible application of the graphene bilayer for switching functions in electronic devices. This work was done in collaboration with A. Bostwick, J. L. McChesney, and E. Rotenberg at Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, K. Horn at Fritz-Haber-Institut, K. V. Emtsev and Th. Seyller at Lehrstuhl für Technische Physik, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, and F. El Gabaly and A. K. Schmid at National Center for Electron Microscopy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Plasmon 3D Electron Tomography and Local Electric-Field Enhancement of Engineered Plasmonic Nanoantennas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Archanjo, B. S.; Vasconcelos, T. L.; Oliveira, B. S.

Plasmonic nano-antennas are pushing the limits of optical imaging resolution capabilities in near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM). Accordingly, these techniques are driving the basic understanding of photonic and optoelectronic nanoscale devices with applications in sensing, energy conversion, solid-state lighting and information technology. Imaging the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) at the nanoscale is a key to understanding the optical responses of a given tip geometry in order to engineer better plasmonic nano-antennas for near-field experiments. In recent years the advancement of focused ion beam technology provides the ability to directly modify plasmonic structures with nanometer resolution. Also, scanning transmission electronmore » microscopy (STEM) with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) is an established technique allowing imaging of LSPR. Specifically, the combination of these two techniques provides spectrally sensitive two-dimensional (2D) imaging information to better visualize and understand LSPR on the nanometer scale. This can be combined with electron tomography to provide the three-dimensional LSPR distribution. Here in this paper we demonstrate the fabrication of Au nano-pyramids using helium ion microscopy, and analyze the LSPR in 3D reconstructions produced by total variation (TV)-norm minimization of a set of 2D STEM-EELS maps. Additionally, a boundary element simulation method was used to verify the experimentally observed nanopyramid LSPR modes. Finally, we show that the point-spread-functions (PSF) of LSPR mode hot spots in nanopyramids differ to local electric-field enhancement under optical excitation making direct comparison to NSOM experimental resolution difficult. However, the STEM-EELS results show how LSPR modes are influenced by the tip characteristics, which can inform the development of new nano-antenna designs.« less

Scanning electron microscopy analysis of the growth of dental plaque on the surfaces of removable orthodontic aligners after the use of different cleaning methods

PubMed Central

Levrini, Luca; Novara, Francesca; Margherini, Silvia; Tenconi, Camilla; Raspanti, Mario

2015-01-01

Background Advances in orthodontics are leading to the use of minimally invasive technologies, such as transparent removable aligners, and are able to meet high demands in terms of performance and esthetics. However, the most correct method of cleaning these appliances, in order to minimize the effects of microbial colonization, remains to be determined. Purpose The aim of the present study was to identify the most effective method of cleaning removable orthodontic aligners, analyzing the growth of dental plaque as observed under scanning electron microscopy. Methods Twelve subjects were selected for the study. All were free from caries and periodontal disease and were candidates for orthodontic therapy with invisible orthodontic aligners. The trial had a duration of 6 weeks, divided into three 2-week stages, during which three sets of aligners were used. In each stage, the subjects were asked to use a different method of cleaning their aligners: 1) running water (control condition); 2) effervescent tablets containing sodium carbonate and sulfate crystals followed by brushing with a toothbrush; and 3) brushing alone (with a toothbrush and toothpaste). At the end of each 2-week stage, the surfaces of the aligners were analyzed under scanning electron microscopy. Results The best results were obtained with brushing combined with the use of sodium carbonate and sulfate crystals; brushing alone gave slightly inferior results. Conclusion On the basis of previous literature results relating to devices in resin, studies evaluating the reliability of domestic ultrasonic baths for domestic use should be encouraged. At present, pending the availability of experimental evidence, it can be suggested that dental hygienists should strongly advise patients wearing orthodontic aligners to clean them using a combination of brushing and commercially available tablets for cleaning oral appliances. PMID:26719726

Scanning electron microscopy analysis of the growth of dental plaque on the surfaces of removable orthodontic aligners after the use of different cleaning methods.

PubMed

Levrini, Luca; Novara, Francesca; Margherini, Silvia; Tenconi, Camilla; Raspanti, Mario

2015-01-01

Advances in orthodontics are leading to the use of minimally invasive technologies, such as transparent removable aligners, and are able to meet high demands in terms of performance and esthetics. However, the most correct method of cleaning these appliances, in order to minimize the effects of microbial colonization, remains to be determined. The aim of the present study was to identify the most effective method of cleaning removable orthodontic aligners, analyzing the growth of dental plaque as observed under scanning electron microscopy. Twelve subjects were selected for the study. All were free from caries and periodontal disease and were candidates for orthodontic therapy with invisible orthodontic aligners. The trial had a duration of 6 weeks, divided into three 2-week stages, during which three sets of aligners were used. In each stage, the subjects were asked to use a different method of cleaning their aligners: 1) running water (control condition); 2) effervescent tablets containing sodium carbonate and sulfate crystals followed by brushing with a toothbrush; and 3) brushing alone (with a toothbrush and toothpaste). At the end of each 2-week stage, the surfaces of the aligners were analyzed under scanning electron microscopy. The best results were obtained with brushing combined with the use of sodium carbonate and sulfate crystals; brushing alone gave slightly inferior results. On the basis of previous literature results relating to devices in resin, studies evaluating the reliability of domestic ultrasonic baths for domestic use should be encouraged. At present, pending the availability of experimental evidence, it can be suggested that dental hygienists should strongly advise patients wearing orthodontic aligners to clean them using a combination of brushing and commercially available tablets for cleaning oral appliances.

Plasmon 3D Electron Tomography and Local Electric-Field Enhancement of Engineered Plasmonic Nanoantennas

DOE PAGES

Archanjo, B. S.; Vasconcelos, T. L.; Oliveira, B. S.; ...

2018-06-01

Plasmonic nano-antennas are pushing the limits of optical imaging resolution capabilities in near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM). Accordingly, these techniques are driving the basic understanding of photonic and optoelectronic nanoscale devices with applications in sensing, energy conversion, solid-state lighting and information technology. Imaging the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) at the nanoscale is a key to understanding the optical responses of a given tip geometry in order to engineer better plasmonic nano-antennas for near-field experiments. In recent years the advancement of focused ion beam technology provides the ability to directly modify plasmonic structures with nanometer resolution. Also, scanning transmission electronmore » microscopy (STEM) with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) is an established technique allowing imaging of LSPR. Specifically, the combination of these two techniques provides spectrally sensitive two-dimensional (2D) imaging information to better visualize and understand LSPR on the nanometer scale. This can be combined with electron tomography to provide the three-dimensional LSPR distribution. Here in this paper we demonstrate the fabrication of Au nano-pyramids using helium ion microscopy, and analyze the LSPR in 3D reconstructions produced by total variation (TV)-norm minimization of a set of 2D STEM-EELS maps. Additionally, a boundary element simulation method was used to verify the experimentally observed nanopyramid LSPR modes. Finally, we show that the point-spread-functions (PSF) of LSPR mode hot spots in nanopyramids differ to local electric-field enhancement under optical excitation making direct comparison to NSOM experimental resolution difficult. However, the STEM-EELS results show how LSPR modes are influenced by the tip characteristics, which can inform the development of new nano-antenna designs.« less

Electron microscopy localization and characterization of functionalized composite organic-inorganic SERS nanoparticles on leukemia cells.

PubMed

Koh, Ai Leen; Shachaf, Catherine M; Elchuri, Sailaja; Nolan, Garry P; Sinclair, Robert

2008-12-01

We demonstrate the use of electron microscopy as a powerful characterization tool to identify and locate antibody-conjugated composite organic-inorganic nanoparticle (COINs) surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanoparticles on cells. U937 leukemia cells labeled with antibody CD54-conjugated COINs were characterized in their native, hydrated state using wet scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and in their dehydrated state using high-resolution SEM. In both cases, the backscattered electron (BSE) detector was used to detect and identify the silver constituents in COINs due to its high sensitivity to atomic number variations within a specimen. The imaging and analytical capabilities in the SEM were further complemented by higher resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images and scanning Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) data to give reliable and high-resolution information about nanoparticles and their binding to cell surface antigens.

Three-dimensional electron microscopy simulation with the CASINO Monte Carlo software.

PubMed

Demers, Hendrix; Poirier-Demers, Nicolas; Couture, Alexandre Réal; Joly, Dany; Guilmain, Marc; de Jonge, Niels; Drouin, Dominique

2011-01-01

Monte Carlo softwares are widely used to understand the capabilities of electron microscopes. To study more realistic applications with complex samples, 3D Monte Carlo softwares are needed. In this article, the development of the 3D version of CASINO is presented. The software feature a graphical user interface, an efficient (in relation to simulation time and memory use) 3D simulation model, accurate physic models for electron microscopy applications, and it is available freely to the scientific community at this website: www.gel.usherbrooke.ca/casino/index.html. It can be used to model backscattered, secondary, and transmitted electron signals as well as absorbed energy. The software features like scan points and shot noise allow the simulation and study of realistic experimental conditions. This software has an improved energy range for scanning electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy applications. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Three-Dimensional Electron Microscopy Simulation with the CASINO Monte Carlo Software

PubMed Central

Demers, Hendrix; Poirier-Demers, Nicolas; Couture, Alexandre Réal; Joly, Dany; Guilmain, Marc; de Jonge, Niels; Drouin, Dominique

2011-01-01

Monte Carlo softwares are widely used to understand the capabilities of electron microscopes. To study more realistic applications with complex samples, 3D Monte Carlo softwares are needed. In this paper, the development of the 3D version of CASINO is presented. The software feature a graphical user interface, an efficient (in relation to simulation time and memory use) 3D simulation model, accurate physic models for electron microscopy applications, and it is available freely to the scientific community at this website: www.gel.usherbrooke.ca/casino/index.html. It can be used to model backscattered, secondary, and transmitted electron signals as well as absorbed energy. The software features like scan points and shot noise allow the simulation and study of realistic experimental conditions. This software has an improved energy range for scanning electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy applications. PMID:21769885

Toward atomic-scale bright-field electron tomography for the study of fullerene-like nanostructures.

PubMed

Bar Sadan, Maya; Houben, Lothar; Wolf, Sharon G; Enyashin, Andrey; Seifert, Gotthard; Tenne, Reshef; Urban, Knut

2008-03-01

We present the advancement of electron tomography for three-dimensional structure reconstruction of fullerene-like particles toward atomic-scale resolution. The three-dimensional reconstruction of nested molybdenum disulfide nanooctahedra is achieved by the combination of low voltage operation of the electron microscope with aberration-corrected phase contrast imaging. The method enables the study of defects and irregularities in the three-dimensional structure of individual fullerene-like particles on the scale of 2-3 A. Control over shape, size, and atomic architecture is a key issue in synthesis and design of functional nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is the primary technique to characterize materials down to the atomic level, albeit the images are two-dimensional projections of the studied objects. Recent advancements in aberration-corrected TEM have demonstrated single atom sensitivity for light elements at subångström resolution. Yet, the resolution of tomographic schemes for three-dimensional structure reconstruction has not surpassed 1 nm3, preventing it from becoming a powerful tool for characterization in the physical sciences on the atomic scale. Here we demonstrate that negative spherical aberration imaging at low acceleration voltage enables tomography down to the atomic scale at reduced radiation damage. First experimental data on the three-dimensional reconstruction of nested molybdenum disulfide nanooctahedra is presented. The method is applicable to the analysis of the atomic architecture of a wide range of nanostructures where strong electron channeling is absent, in particular to carbon fullerenes and inorganic fullerenes.

Neurite density from magnetic resonance diffusion measurements at ultrahigh field: Comparison with light microscopy and electron microscopy

PubMed Central

Jespersen, Sune N.; Bjarkam, Carsten R.; Nyengaard, Jens R.; Chakravarty, M. Mallar; Hansen, Brian; Vosegaard, Thomas; Østergaard, Leif; Yablonskiy, Dmitriy; Nielsen, Niels Chr.; Vestergaard-Poulsen, Peter

2010-01-01

Due to its unique sensitivity to tissue microstructure, diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has found many applications in clinical and fundamental science. With few exceptions, a more precise correspondence between physiological or biophysical properties and the obtained diffusion parameters remain uncertain due to lack of specificity. In this work, we address this problem by comparing diffusion parameters of a recently introduced model for water diffusion in brain matter to light microscopy and quantitative electron microscopy. Specifically, we compare diffusion model predictions of neurite density in rats to optical myelin staining intensity and stereological estimation of neurite volume fraction using electron microscopy. We find that the diffusion model describes data better and that its parameters show stronger correlation with optical and electron microscopy, and thus reflect myelinated neurite density better than the more frequently used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and cumulant expansion methods. Furthermore, the estimated neurite orientations capture dendritic architecture more faithfully than DTI diffusion ellipsoids. PMID:19732836

Consecutive light microscopy, scanning-transmission electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy of traumatic human brain oedema and ischaemic brain damage.

PubMed

Castejon, O J; Castejon, H V; Diaz, M; Castellano, A

2001-10-01

Cortical biopsies of 11 patients with traumatic brain oedema were consecutively studied by light microscopy (LM) using thick plastic sections, scanning-transmission electron microscopy ((S)TEM) using semithin plastic sections and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using ultrathin sections. Samples were glutaraldehyde-osmium fixed and embedded in Araldite or Epon. Thick sections were stained with toluidine-blue for light microscopy. Semithin sections were examined unstained and uncoated for (S)TEM. Ultrathin sections were stained with uranyl and lead. Perivascular haemorrhages and perivascular extravasation of proteinaceous oedema fluid were observed in both moderate and severe oedema. Ischaemic pyramidal and non-pyramidal nerve cells appeared shrunken, electron dense and with enlargement of intracytoplasmic membrane compartment. Notably swollen astrocytes were observed in all samples examined. Glycogen-rich and glycogen-depleted astrocytes were identified in anoxic-ischaemic regions. Dark and hydropic satellite, interfascicular and perivascular oligodendrocytes were also found. The status spongiosus of severely oedematous brain parenchyma observed by LM and (S)TEM was correlated with the enlarged extracellular space and disrupted neuropil observed by TEM. The (S)TEM is recommended as a suitable technique for studying pathological processes in the central nervous system and as an informative adjunct to LM and TEM.

Contributed review: Review of integrated correlative light and electron microscopy.

PubMed

Timmermans, F J; Otto, C

2015-01-01

New developments in the field of microscopy enable to acquire increasing amounts of information from large sample areas and at an increased resolution. Depending on the nature of the technique, the information may reveal morphological, structural, chemical, and still other sample characteristics. In research fields, such as cell biology and materials science, there is an increasing demand to correlate these individual levels of information and in this way to obtain a better understanding of sample preparation and specific sample properties. To address this need, integrated systems were developed that combine nanometer resolution electron microscopes with optical microscopes, which produce chemically or label specific information through spectroscopy. The complementary information from electron microscopy and light microscopy presents an opportunity to investigate a broad range of sample properties in a correlated fashion. An important part of correlating the differences in information lies in bridging the different resolution and image contrast features. The trend to analyse samples using multiple correlated microscopes has resulted in a new research field. Current research is focused, for instance, on (a) the investigation of samples with nanometer scale distribution of inorganic and organic materials, (b) live cell analysis combined with electron microscopy, and (c) in situ spectroscopic and electron microscopy analysis of catalytic materials, but more areas will benefit from integrated correlative microscopy.

Advanced TEM characterization of oxide nanoparticles in ODS Fe–12Cr–5Al alloys

DOE PAGES

Unocic, Kinga A; Hoelzer, David T; Pint, Bruce A

2016-01-01

For oxide nanoparticles present in three oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS) Fe–12Cr–5Al alloys containing additions of (1) Y 2O 3 (125Y), (2) Y 2O 3 + ZrO 2 (125YZ), and (3) Y 2O 3 + HfO 2 (125YH), were investigated using transmission and scanning transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, in all three alloys nano-sized (<3.5 nm) oxide particles distributed uniformly throughout the microstructure were characterized using advanced electron microscopy techniques. In the 125Y alloy, mainly Al 2O 3 and yttrium–aluminum garnet (YAG) phases (Y 3Al 5O 12) were present, while in the 125YZ alloy, additional Zr(C,N) precipitates were identified. The 125YH alloy had themore » most complex precipitation sequence whereby in addition to the YAG and Al 2O 3 phases, Hf(C,N), Y 2Hf 2O 7, and HfO 2 precipitates were also found. The presence of HfO 2 was mainly due to the incomplete incorporation of HfO 2 powder during mechanical alloying of the 125YH alloy. The alloy having the highest total number density of the oxides, the smallest grain size, and the highest Vickers hardness was the 125YZ alloy indicating, that Y 2O 3 + ZrO 2 additions had the strongest effect on grain size and tensile properties. Finally, high-temperature mechanical testing will be addressed in the near future, while irradiation studies are underway to investigate the irradiation resistance of these new ODS FeCrAl alloys.« less

Advanced Material-Ordered Nanotubular Ceramic Membranes Covalently Capped with Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes.

PubMed

Al-Gharabli, Samer; Hamad, Eyad; Saket, Munib; Abu El-Rub, Ziad; Arafat, Hassan; Kujawski, Wojciech; Kujawa, Joanna

2018-05-07

Advanced ceramic materials with a well-defined nano-architecture of their surfaces were formed by applying a two-step procedure. Firstly, a primary amine was docked on the ordered nanotubular ceramic surface via a silanization process. Subsequently, single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were covalently grafted onto the surface via an amide building block. Physicochemical (e.g., hydrophobicity, and surface free energy (SFE)), mechanical, and tribological properties of the developed membranes were improved significantly. The design, preparation, and extended characterization of the developed membranes are presented. Tools such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), single-area electron diffraction (SAED) analysis, microscopy, tribology, nano-indentation, and Raman spectroscopy, among other techniques, were utilized in the characterization of the developed membranes. As an effect of hydrophobization, the contact angles (CAs) changed from 38° to 110° and from 51° to 95° for the silanization of ceramic membranes 20 (CM20) and CM100, respectively. SWCNT functionalization reduced the CAs to 72° and 66° for ceramic membranes carbon nanotubes 20 (CM-CNT-20) and CM-CNT-100, respectively. The mechanical properties of the developed membranes improved significantly. From the nanotribological study, Young’s modulus increased from 3 to 39 GPa for CM-CNT-20 and from 43 to 48 GPa for pristine CM-CNT-100. Furthermore, the nanohardness increased by about 80% after the attachment of CNTs for both types of ceramics. The proposed protocol within this work for the development of functionalized ceramic membranes is both simple and efficient.

Thermal degradation study of silicon carbide threads developed for advanced flexible thermal protection systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tran, Huy Kim; Sawko, Paul M.

1992-01-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) fiber is a material that may be used in advanced thermal protection systems (TPS) for future aerospace vehicles. SiC fiber's mechanical properties depend greatly on the presence or absence of sizing and its microstructure. In this research, silicon dioxide is found to be present on the surface of the fiber. Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis (ESCA) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) show that a thin oxide layer (SiO2) exists on the as-received fibers, and the oxide thickness increases when the fibers are exposed to high temperature. ESCA also reveals no evidence of Si-C bonding on the fiber surface on both as-received and heat treated fibers. The silicon oxide layer is thought to signal the decomposition of SiC bonds and may be partially responsible for the degradation in the breaking strength observed at temperatures above 400 C. The variation in electrical resistivity of the fibers with increasing temperature indicates a transition to a higher band gap material at 350 to 600 C. This is consistent with a decomposition of SiC involving silicon oxide formation.

Distortion of DNA Origami on Graphene Imaged with Advanced TEM Techniques.

PubMed

Kabiri, Yoones; Ananth, Adithya N; van der Torre, Jaco; Katan, Allard; Hong, Jin-Yong; Malladi, Sairam; Kong, Jing; Zandbergen, Henny; Dekker, Cees

2017-08-01

While graphene may appear to be the ultimate support membrane for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging of DNA nanostructures, very little is known if it poses an advantage over conventional carbon supports in terms of resolution and contrast. Microscopic investigations are carried out on DNA origami nanoplates that are supported onto freestanding graphene, using advanced TEM techniques, including a new dark-field technique that is recently developed in our lab. TEM images of stained and unstained DNA origami are presented with high contrast on both graphene and amorphous carbon membranes. On graphene, the images of the origami plates show severe unwanted distortions, where the rectangular shape of the nanoplates is significantly distorted. From a number of comparative control experiments, it is demonstrated that neither staining agents, nor screening ions, nor the level of electron-beam irradiation cause this distortion. Instead, it is suggested that origami nanoplates are distorted due to hydrophobic interaction of the DNA bases with graphene upon adsorption of the DNA origami nanoplates. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ultrathin Cr added Ru film as a seedless Cu diffusion barrier for advanced Cu interconnects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Kuo-Chung; Perng, Dung-Ching; Yeh, Jia-Bin; Wang, Yi-Chun

2012-07-01

A 5 nm thick Cr added Ru film has been extensively investigated as a seedless Cu diffusion barrier. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy micrograph, X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and Fourier transform-electron diffraction pattern reveal that a Cr contained Ru (RuCr) film has a glassy microstructure and is an amorphous-like film. XRD patterns and sheet resistance data show that the RuCr film is stable up to 650 °C, which is approximately a 200 °C improvement in thermal stability as compared to that of the pure Ru film. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiles show that the RuCr film can successfully block Cu diffusion, even after a 30-min 650 °C annealing. The leakage current of the Cu/5 nm RuCr/porous SiOCH/Si stacked structure is about two orders of magnitude lower than that of a pristine Ru sample for electric field below 1 MV/cm. The RuCr film can be a promising Cu diffusion barrier for advanced Cu metallization.

High contrast laser marking of alumina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Penide, J.; Quintero, F.; Riveiro, A.; Fernández, A.; del Val, J.; Comesaña, R.; Lusquiños, F.; Pou, J.

2015-05-01

Alumina serves as raw material for a broad range of advanced ceramic products. These elements should usually be identified by some characters or symbols printed directly on them. In this sense, laser marking is an efficient, reliable and widely implemented process in industry. However, laser marking of alumina still leads to poor results since the process is not able to produce a dark mark, yielding bad contrast. In this paper, we present an experimental study on the process of marking alumina by three different lasers working in two wavelengths: 1064 nm (Near-infrared) and 532 nm (visible, green radiation). A colorimetric analysis has been carried out in order to compare the resulting marks and its contrast. The most suitable laser operating conditions were also defined and are reported here. Moreover, the physical process of marking by NIR lasers is discussed in detail. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy were also employed to analyze the results. Finally, we propose an explanation for the differences of the coloration induced under different atmospheres and laser parameters. We concluded that the atmosphere is the key parameter, being the inert one the best choice to produce the darkest marks.

L-cysteine capped lanthanum hydroxide nanostructures for non-invasive detection of oral cancer biomarker.

PubMed

Tiwari, Sachchidanand; Gupta, Pramod K; Bagbi, Yana; Sarkar, Tamal; Solanki, Pratima R

2017-03-15

In this paper, we present the result of studies related to the in situ synthesis of amino acid (L-Cysteine) capped lanthanum hydroxide nanoparticles [Cys-La(OH) 3 NPs] towards the fabrication of efficient immunosensor for non-invasive detection of oral cancer. The characterization of Cys-La(OH) 3 NPs was carried out by different techniques including X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and electrochemical techniques. These Cys-La(OH) 3 NPs were electrophoretically deposited onto an indium-tin-oxide glass substrate and used for immobilization of anti-cytokeratin fragment-21-1 (anti-Cyfra-21-1) for the electrochemical detection of Cyfra-21-1. This immunosensor shows a broad detection range of 0.001-10.2ngmL -1 , the low detection limit of 0.001ngmL -1 , and high sensitivity of 12.044µA (ng per mL cm -2 ) -1 with a response time of 5min. This immunosensor was found to be more advanced in terms of high sensitivity and low detection limit as compared to previously reported biosensors and commercially available ELISA kit (Kinesis DX). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural defects in cubic semiconductors characterized by aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Arroyo Rojas Dasilva, Yadira; Kozak, Roksolana; Erni, Rolf; Rossell, Marta D

2017-05-01

The development of new electro-optical devices and the realization of novel types of transistors require a profound understanding of the structural characteristics of new semiconductor heterostructures. This article provides a concise review about structural defects which occur in semiconductor heterostructures on the basis of micro-patterned Si substrates. In particular, one- and two-dimensional crystal defects are being discussed which are due to the plastic relaxation of epitaxial strain caused by the misfit of crystal lattices. Besides a few selected examples from literature, we treat in particular crystal defects occurring in GaAs/Si, Ge/Si and β-SiC/Si structures which are studied by high-resolution annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy. The relevance of this article is twofold; firstly, it should provide a collection of data which are of help for the identification and characterization of defects in cubic semiconductors by means of atomic-resolution imaging, and secondly, the experimental data shall provide a basis for advancing the understanding of device characteristics with the aid of theoretical modelling by considering the defective nature of strained semiconductor heterostructures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In situ investigation of explosive crystallization in a-Ge: Experimental determination of the interface response function using dynamic transmission electron microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikolova, Liliya; Stern, Mark J.; MacLeod, Jennifer M.; Reed, Bryan W.; Ibrahim, Heide; Campbell, Geoffrey H.; Rosei, Federico; LaGrange, Thomas; Siwick, Bradley J.

2014-09-01

The crystallization of amorphous semiconductors is a strongly exothermic process. Once initiated the release of latent heat can be sufficient to drive a self-sustaining crystallization front through the material in a manner that has been described as explosive. Here, we perform a quantitative in situ study of explosive crystallization in amorphous germanium using dynamic transmission electron microscopy. Direct observations of the speed of the explosive crystallization front as it evolves along a laser-imprinted temperature gradient are used to experimentally determine the complete interface response function (i.e., the temperature-dependent front propagation speed) for this process, which reaches a peak of 16 m/s. Fitting to the Frenkel-Wilson kinetic law demonstrates that the diffusivity of the material locally/immediately in advance of the explosive crystallization front is inconsistent with those of a liquid phase. This result suggests a modification to the liquid-mediated mechanism commonly used to describe this process that replaces the phase change at the leading amorphous-liquid interface with a change in bonding character (from covalent to metallic) occurring in the hot amorphous material.

Novel synthesis strategy for composite hydrogel of collagen/hydroxyapatite-microsphere originating from conversion of CaCO3 templates.

PubMed

Wei, Qingrong; Lu, Jian; Wang, Qiaoying; Fan, Hongsong; Zhang, Xingdong

2015-03-20

Inspired by coralline-derived hydroxyapatite, we designed a methodological route to synthesize carbonated-hydroxyapatite microspheres from the conversion of CaCO3 spherulite templates within a collagen matrix under mild conditions and thus constructed the composite hydrogel of collagen/hydroxyapatite-microspheres. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to confirm the successful generation of the carbonated hydroxyapatite phase originating from CaCO3, and the ratios of calcium to phosphate were tracked over time. Variations in the weight portion of the components in the hybrid gels before and after the phase transformation of the CaCO3 templates were identified via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows these composite hydrogels have a unique multiscale microstructure consisting of a collagen nanofibril network and hydroxyapatite microspheres. The relationship between the hydroxyapatite nanocrystals and the collagen fibrils was revealed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in detail, and the selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern further confirmed the results of the XRD analyses which show the typical low crystallinity of the generated hydroxyapatite. This smart synthesis strategy achieved the simultaneous construction of microscale hydroxyapatite particles and collagen fibrillar hydrogel, and appears to provide a novel route to explore an advanced functional hydrogel materials with promising potentials for applications in bone tissue engineering and reconstruction medicine.

Improved Reliability of SiC Pressure Sensors for Long Term High Temperature Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Okojie, R. S.; Nguyen, V.; Savrun, E.; Lukco, D.

2011-01-01

We report advancement in the reliability of silicon carbide pressure sensors operating at 600 C for extended periods. The large temporal drifts in zero pressure offset voltage at 600 C observed previously were significantly suppressed to allow improved reliable operation. This improvement was the result of further enhancement of the electrical and mechanical integrity of the bondpad/contact metallization, and the introduction of studded bump bonding on the pad. The stud bump contact promoted strong adhesion between the Au bond pad and the Au die-attach. The changes in the zero offset voltage and bridge resistance over time at temperature were explained by the microstructure and phase changes within the contact metallization, that were analyzed with Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM).

Interfacial hydrothermal synthesis of SnO{sub 2} nanorods towards photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hou, L.R., E-mail: houlr629@163.com; Lian, L.; Zhou, L.

2014-12-15

Highlights: • Efficient interfacial hydrothermal strategy was developed. • 1D SnO{sub 2} nanorods as an advanced photocatalyst. • SnO{sub 2} nanorods exhibit photocatalytic degradation of the MO. - Abstract: One-dimensional (1D) SnO{sub 2} nanorods (NRs) have been successfully synthesized by means of an efficient interfacial hydrothermal strategy. The resulting product was physically characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscope, etc. The as-fabricated SnO{sub 2} NRs exhibited excellent photocatalytic degradation of the methyl orange with high degradation efficiency of 99.3% with only 60 min ultra violet light irradiation. Meanwhile, the 1D SnO{sub 2} NRs exhibited intriguing photostabilitymore » after four recycles.« less

Current at Metal-Organic Interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kern, Klaus

2012-02-01

Charge transport through atomic and molecular constrictions greatly affects the operation and performance of organic electronic devices. Much of our understanding of the charge injection and extraction processes in these systems relays on our knowledge of the electronic structure at the metal-organic interface. Despite significant experimental and theoretical advances in studying charge transport in nanoscale junctions, a microscopic understanding at the single atom/molecule level is missing. In the present talk I will present our recent results to probe directly the nanocontact between single molecules and a metal electrode using scanning probe microscopy and spectroscopy. The experiments provide unprecedented microscopic details of single molecule and atom junctions and open new avenues to study quantum critical and many body phenomena at the atomic scale. Implications for energy conversion devices and carbon based nanoelectronics will also be discussed.

Carbon contamination in scanning transmission electron microscopy and its impact on phase-plate applications.

PubMed

Hettler, Simon; Dries, Manuel; Hermann, Peter; Obermair, Martin; Gerthsen, Dagmar; Malac, Marek

2017-05-01

We analyze electron-beam induced carbon contamination in a transmission electron microscope. The study is performed on thin films potentially suitable as phase plates for phase-contrast transmission electron microscopy. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy and phase-plate imaging is utilized to analyze the contamination. The deposited contamination layer is identified as a graphitic carbon layer which is not prone to electrostatic charging whereas a non-conductive underlying substrate charges. Several methods that inhibit contamination are evaluated and the impact of carbon contamination on phase-plate imaging is discussed. The findings are in general interesting for scanning transmission electron microscopy applications. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of anterior lenticonus in alport syndrome using tracey wavefront aberrometry and transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Kim, Kwan Soo; Kim, Mo Sae; Kim, Joon Mo; Choi, Chul Young

2010-01-01

To evaluate the efficacy of Tracey wavefront aberrometry (Tracey Technologies, Houston, TX) and transmission electron microscopy for the detection of anterior lenticonus in Alport syndrome. Tracey wavefront aberrometry was used to treat a patient with bilateral anterior lenticonus who had a history of Alport syndrome. For transmission electron microscopic examination, anterior lens capsules were obtained during clear lens phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation. Spherical aberrations were the predominant higher-order aberrations in the internal optics of both eyes. The Tracey wavefront aberrometer showed that most of the irregular astigmatism originated from the lenticular portion. Transmission electron microscopy of the specimens showed anterior lens capsules with decreased thickness and multiple dehiscences. Tracey wavefront aberrometry and transmission electron microscopy are effective tools for evaluation of anterior lenticonus in Alport syndrome. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.

Fabrication of ZnS nanoparticle chains on a protein template

PubMed Central

Hulleman, J.; Kim, S. M.; Tumkur, T.; Rochet, J.-C.; Stach, E.; Stanciu, L.

2011-01-01

In the present study, we have exploited the properties of a fibrillar protein for the template synthesis of zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticle chains. The diameter of the ZnS nanoparticle chains was tuned in range of ~30 to ~165 nm by varying the process variables. The nanoparticle chains were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, UV–Visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The effect of incubation temperature on the morphology of the nanoparticle chains was also studied. PMID:21804765

Imaging mammalian cells with soft x rays: The importance of specimen preparation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, J.T.; Meyer-Ilse, W.

1997-04-01

Studies of mammalian cell structure and spatial organization are a very prominent part of modern cell biology. The interest in them as well as their size make them very accommodating subject specimens for imaging with soft x-rays using the XM-1 transmission microscope built and operated by The Center for X-ray Optics on Beam Line 6.1 at the Advanced Light Source. The purpose of these experiments was to determine if the fixative protocols normally used in electron or visible light microscopy were adequate to allow imaging cells, either fibroblasts or neurons, with minimal visible radiation damage due to imaging with softmore » x-rays at 2.4 nm. Two cell types were selected. Fibroblasts are easily cultured but fragile cells which are commonly used as models for the detailed study of cell physiology. Neurons are complex and sensitive cells which are difficult to prepare and to culture for study in isolation from their connections with surrounding cells. These cell types pose problems in their preparation for any microscopy. To improve the contrast and to prevent postmortem alteration of the chemistry and hence the structure of cells extracted from culture or from living organisms, fixation and staining techniques are employed in electron and visible light microscopy. It has been accepted by biologists for years that these treatments create artifacts and false structure. The authors have begun to develop protocols for specimens of each of these two cell types for soft x-ray microscopy which will preserve them in as near normal state as possible using minimal fixation, and make it possible to image them in either a hydrated or dried state free of secondary addition of stains or other labels.« less

Intracellular in situ labeling of TiO 2 nanoparticles for fluorescence microscopy detection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, Koshonna; Thurn, Ted; Xin, Lun

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2) nanoparticles are produced for many different purposes, including development of therapeutic and diagnostic nanoparticles for cancer detection and treatment, drug delivery, induction of DNA double-strand breaks, and imaging of specific cells and subcellular structures. Currently, the use of optical microscopy, an imaging technique most accessible to biology and medical pathology, to detect TiO 2 nanoparticles in cells and tissues ex vivo is limited with low detection limits, while more sensitive imaging methods (transmission electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence microscopy, etc.) have low throughput and technical and operational complications. In this paper, we describe two in situ posttreatmentmore » labeling approaches to stain TiO 2 nanoparticles taken up by the cells. The first approach utilizes fluorescent biotin and fluorescent streptavidin to label the nanoparticles before and after cellular uptake; the second approach is based on the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition, the so-called Click chemistry, for labeling and detection of azide-conjugated TiO 2 nanoparticles with alkyneconjugated fluorescent dyes such as Alexa Fluor 488. To confirm that optical fluorescence signals of these nanoparticles match the distribution of the Ti element, we used synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Titanium-specific XFM showed excellent overlap with the location of optical fluorescence detected by confocal microscopy. Finally and therefore, future experiments with TiO 2 nanoparticles may safely rely on confocal microscopy after in situ nanoparticle labeling using approaches described here.« less

Intracellular in situ labeling of TiO 2 nanoparticles for fluorescence microscopy detection

DOE PAGES

Brown, Koshonna; Thurn, Ted; Xin, Lun; ...

2017-07-19

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2) nanoparticles are produced for many different purposes, including development of therapeutic and diagnostic nanoparticles for cancer detection and treatment, drug delivery, induction of DNA double-strand breaks, and imaging of specific cells and subcellular structures. Currently, the use of optical microscopy, an imaging technique most accessible to biology and medical pathology, to detect TiO 2 nanoparticles in cells and tissues ex vivo is limited with low detection limits, while more sensitive imaging methods (transmission electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence microscopy, etc.) have low throughput and technical and operational complications. In this paper, we describe two in situ posttreatmentmore » labeling approaches to stain TiO 2 nanoparticles taken up by the cells. The first approach utilizes fluorescent biotin and fluorescent streptavidin to label the nanoparticles before and after cellular uptake; the second approach is based on the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition, the so-called Click chemistry, for labeling and detection of azide-conjugated TiO 2 nanoparticles with alkyneconjugated fluorescent dyes such as Alexa Fluor 488. To confirm that optical fluorescence signals of these nanoparticles match the distribution of the Ti element, we used synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Titanium-specific XFM showed excellent overlap with the location of optical fluorescence detected by confocal microscopy. Finally and therefore, future experiments with TiO 2 nanoparticles may safely rely on confocal microscopy after in situ nanoparticle labeling using approaches described here.« less

Correlation of live-cell imaging with volume scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Lucas, Miriam S; Günthert, Maja; Bittermann, Anne Greet; de Marco, Alex; Wepf, Roger

2017-01-01

Live-cell imaging is one of the most widely applied methods in live science. Here we describe two setups for live-cell imaging, which can easily be combined with volume SEM for correlative studies. The first procedure applies cell culture dishes with a gridded glass support, which can be used for any light microscopy modality. The second approach is a flow-chamber setup based on Ibidi μ-slides. Both live-cell imaging strategies can be followed up with serial blockface- or focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy. Two types of resin embedding after heavy metal staining and dehydration are presented making best use of the particular advantages of each imaging modality: classical en-bloc embedding and thin-layer plastification. The latter can be used only for focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy, but is advantageous for studying cell-interactions with specific substrates, or when the substrate cannot be removed. En-bloc embedding has diverse applications and can be applied for both described volume scanning electron microscopy techniques. Finally, strategies for relocating the cell of interest are discussed for both embedding approaches and in respect to the applied light and scanning electron microscopy methods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The importance of transmission electron microscopy analysis of spermatozoa: Diagnostic applications and basic research.

PubMed

Moretti, Elena; Sutera, Gaetano; Collodel, Giulia

2016-06-01

This review is aimed at discussing the role of ultrastructural studies on human spermatozoa and evaluating transmission electron microscopy as a diagnostic tool that can complete andrology protocols. It is clear that morphological sperm defects may explain decreased fertilizing potential and acquire particular value in the field of male infertility. Electron microscopy is the best method to identify systematic or monomorphic and non-systematic or polymorphic sperm defects. The systematic defects are characterized by a particular anomaly that affects the vast majority of spermatozoa in a semen sample, whereas a heterogeneous combination of head and tail defects found in variable percentages are typically non-systematic or polymorphic sperm defects. A correct diagnosis of these specific sperm alterations is important for choosing the male infertility's therapy and for deciding to turn to assisted reproduction techniques. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) also represents a valuable method to explore the in vitro effects of different compounds (for example drugs with potential spermicidal activity) on the morphology of human spermatozoa. Finally, TEM used in combination with immunohistochemical techniques, integrates structural and functional aspects that provide a wide horizon in the understanding of sperm physiology and pathology. transmission electron microscopy: TEM; World Health Organization: WHO; light microscopy: LM; motile sperm organelle morphology examination: MSOME; intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection: IMSI; intracytoplasmic sperm injection: ICSI; dysplasia of fibrous sheath: DFS; primary ciliary dyskinesia: PCD; outer dense fibers: ODF; assisted reproduction technologies: ART; scanning electron microscopy: SEM; polyvinylpirrolidone: PVP; tert-butylhydroperoxide: TBHP.

Strategies for Tailoring the Pore-Size Distribution of Virus Retention Filter Papers.

PubMed

Gustafsson, Simon; Mihranyan, Albert

2016-06-08

The goal of this work is to demonstrate how the pore-size distribution of the nanocellulose-based virus-retentive filter can be tailored. The filter paper was produced using cellulose nanofibers derived from Cladophora sp. green algae using the hot-press drying at varying drying temperatures. The produced filters were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and N2 gas sorption analysis. Further, hydraulic permeability and retention efficiency toward surrogate 20 nm model particles (fluorescent carboxylate-modified polystyrene spheres) were assessed. It was shown that by controlling the rate of water evaporation during hot-press drying the pore-size distribution can be precisely tailored in the region between 10 and 25 nm. The mechanism of pore formation and critical parameters are discussed in detail. The results are highly valuable for development of advanced separation media, especially for virus-retentive size-exclusion filtration.

Microstructures and Microhardness Properties of CMSX-4® Additively Fabricated Through Scanning Laser Epitaxy (SLE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basak, Amrita; Holenarasipura Raghu, Shashank; Das, Suman

2017-12-01

Epitaxial CMSX-4® deposition is achieved on CMSX-4® substrates through the scanning laser epitaxy (SLE) process. A thorough analysis is performed using various advanced material characterization techniques, namely high-resolution optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and Vickers microhardness measurements, to characterize and compare the quality of the SLE-fabricated CMSX-4® deposits to the CMSX-4® substrates. The results show that the CMSX-4® deposits have smaller primary dendritic arm spacing, finer γ/ γ' size, weaker elemental segregation, and higher microhardness compared to the investment cast CMSX-4® substrates. The results presented here demonstrate that CMSX-4® is an attractive material for laser-based AM processing and, therefore, can be used in the fabrication of gas turbine hot-section components through AM processing.

Evolution of Near-Surface Internal and External Oxide Morphology During High-Temperature Selective Oxidation of Steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Story, Mary E.; Webler, Bryan A.

2018-05-01

In this work we examine some observations made using high-temperature confocal scanning laser microscopy (HT-CSLM) during selective oxidation experiments. A plain carbon steel and advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) were selectively oxidized at high temperature (850-900°C) in either low oxygen or water vapor atmospheres. Surface evolution, including thermal grooving along grain boundaries and oxide growth, was viewed in situ during heating. Experiments investigated the influence of the microstructure and oxidizing atmosphere on selective oxidation behavior. Sequences of CSLM still frames collected during the experiment were processed with ImageJ to obtain histograms that showed a general darkening trend indicative of oxidation over time with all samples. Additional ex situ scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis supported in situ observations. Distinct oxidation behavior was observed for each case. Segregation, grain orientation, and extent of internal oxidation were all found to strongly influence surface evolution.

Helium Ion Microscopy (HIM) for the imaging of biological samples at sub-nanometer resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joens, Matthew S.; Huynh, Chuong; Kasuboski, James M.; Ferranti, David; Sigal, Yury J.; Zeitvogel, Fabian; Obst, Martin; Burkhardt, Claus J.; Curran, Kevin P.; Chalasani, Sreekanth H.; Stern, Lewis A.; Goetze, Bernhard; Fitzpatrick, James A. J.

2013-12-01

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) has long been the standard in imaging the sub-micrometer surface ultrastructure of both hard and soft materials. In the case of biological samples, it has provided great insights into their physical architecture. However, three of the fundamental challenges in the SEM imaging of soft materials are that of limited imaging resolution at high magnification, charging caused by the insulating properties of most biological samples and the loss of subtle surface features by heavy metal coating. These challenges have recently been overcome with the development of the Helium Ion Microscope (HIM), which boasts advances in charge reduction, minimized sample damage, high surface contrast without the need for metal coating, increased depth of field, and 5 angstrom imaging resolution. We demonstrate the advantages of HIM for imaging biological surfaces as well as compare and contrast the effects of sample preparation techniques and their consequences on sub-nanometer ultrastructure.

Helium Ion Microscopy (HIM) for the imaging of biological samples at sub-nanometer resolution.

PubMed

Joens, Matthew S; Huynh, Chuong; Kasuboski, James M; Ferranti, David; Sigal, Yury J; Zeitvogel, Fabian; Obst, Martin; Burkhardt, Claus J; Curran, Kevin P; Chalasani, Sreekanth H; Stern, Lewis A; Goetze, Bernhard; Fitzpatrick, James A J

2013-12-17

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) has long been the standard in imaging the sub-micrometer surface ultrastructure of both hard and soft materials. In the case of biological samples, it has provided great insights into their physical architecture. However, three of the fundamental challenges in the SEM imaging of soft materials are that of limited imaging resolution at high magnification, charging caused by the insulating properties of most biological samples and the loss of subtle surface features by heavy metal coating. These challenges have recently been overcome with the development of the Helium Ion Microscope (HIM), which boasts advances in charge reduction, minimized sample damage, high surface contrast without the need for metal coating, increased depth of field, and 5 angstrom imaging resolution. We demonstrate the advantages of HIM for imaging biological surfaces as well as compare and contrast the effects of sample preparation techniques and their consequences on sub-nanometer ultrastructure.

Additive Manufacturing of Nickel-Base Superalloy IN100 Through Scanning Laser Epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basak, Amrita; Das, Suman

2018-01-01

Scanning laser epitaxy (SLE) is a laser powder bed fusion (LPBF)-based additive manufacturing process that uses a high-power laser to consolidate metal powders facilitating the fabrication of three-dimensional objects. In the present study, SLE is used to produce samples of IN100, a high-γ' non-weldable nickel-base superalloy on similar chemistry substrates. A thorough analysis is performed using various advanced material characterization techniques such as high-resolution optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and Vickers microhardness measurements to characterize and compare the quality of the SLE-fabricated IN100 deposits with the investment cast IN100 substrates. The results show that the IN100 deposits have a finer γ/γ' microstructure, weaker elemental segregation, and higher microhardness compared with the substrate. Through this study, it is demonstrated that the SLE process has tremendous potential in the repair and manufacture of gas turbine hot-section components.

HANFORD WASTE MINERALOGY REFERENCE REPORT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DISSELKAMP RS

2010-06-29

This report lists the observed mineral phases present in the Hanford tanks. This task was accomplished by performing a review of numerous reports that used experimental techniques including, but not limited to: x-ray diffraction, polarized light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and particle size distribution analyses. This report contains tables that can be used as a quick reference to identify the crystal phases observed in Hanford waste.

HANFORD WASTE MINEROLOGY REFERENCE REPORT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DISSELKAMP RS

2010-06-18

This report lists the observed mineral phase phases present in the Hanford tanks. This task was accomplished by performing a review of numerous reports using experimental techniques including, but not limited to: x-ray diffraction, polarized light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and particle size distribution analyses. This report contains tables that can be used as a quick reference to identify the crystal phases present observed in Hanford waste.

Tackling the Challenges of Dynamic Experiments Using Liquid-Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy.

PubMed

Parent, Lucas R; Bakalis, Evangelos; Proetto, Maria; Li, Yiwen; Park, Chiwoo; Zerbetto, Francesco; Gianneschi, Nathan C

2018-01-16

Revolutions in science and engineering frequently result from the development, and wide adoption, of a new, powerful characterization or imaging technique. Beginning with the first glass lenses and telescopes in astronomy, to the development of visual-light microscopy, staining techniques, confocal microscopy, and fluorescence super-resolution microscopy in biology, and most recently aberration-corrected, cryogenic, and ultrafast (4D) electron microscopy, X-ray microscopy, and scanning probe microscopy in nanoscience. Through these developments, our perception and understanding of the physical nature of matter at length-scales beyond ordinary perception have been fundamentally transformed. Despite this progression in microscopy, techniques for observing nanoscale chemical processes and solvated/hydrated systems are limited, as the necessary spatial and temporal resolution presents significant technical challenges. However, the standard reliance on indirect or bulk phase characterization of nanoscale samples in liquids is undergoing a shift in recent times with the realization ( Williamson et al. Nat. Mater . 2003 , 2 , 532 - 536 ) of liquid-cell (scanning) transmission electron microscopy, LC(S)TEM, where picoliters of solution are hermetically sealed between electron-transparent "windows," which can be directly imaged or videoed at the nanoscale using conventional transmission electron microscopes. This Account seeks to open a discussion on the topic of standardizing strategies for conducting imaging experiments with a view to characterizing dynamics and motion of nanoscale materials. This is a challenge that could be described by critics and proponents alike, as analogous to doing chemistry in a lightning storm; where the nature of the solution, the nanomaterial, and the dynamic behaviors are all potentially subject to artifactual influence by the very act of our observation.

Design, physicochemical characterization, and optimization of organic solution advanced spray-dried inhalable dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine poly(ethylene glycol) (DPPE-PEG) microparticles and nanoparticles for targeted respiratory nanomedicine delivery as dry powder inhalation aerosols

PubMed Central

Meenach, Samantha A; Vogt, Frederick G; Anderson, Kimberly W; Hilt, J Zach; McGarry, Ronald C; Mansour, Heidi M

2013-01-01

Novel advanced spray-dried and co-spray-dried inhalable lung surfactant-mimic phospholipid and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)ylated lipopolymers as microparticulate/nanoparticulate dry powders of biodegradable biocompatible lipopolymers were rationally formulated via an organic solution advanced spray-drying process in closed mode using various phospholipid formulations and rationally chosen spray-drying pump rates. Ratios of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine PEG (DPPE-PEG) with varying PEG lengths were mixed in a dilute methanol solution. Scanning electron microscopy images showed the smooth, spherical particle morphology of the inhalable particles. The size of the particles was statistically analyzed using the scanning electron micrographs and SigmaScan® software and were determined to be 600 nm to 1.2 μm in diameter, which is optimal for deep-lung alveolar penetration. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) were performed to analyze solid-state transitions and long-range molecular order, respectively, and allowed for the confirmation of the presence of phospholipid bilayers in the solid state of the particles. The residual water content of the particles was very low, as quantified analytically via Karl Fischer titration. The composition of the particles was confirmed using attenuated total-reflectance Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and confocal Raman microscopy (CRM), and chemical imaging confirmed the chemical homogeneity of the particles. The dry powder aerosol dispersion properties were evaluated using the Next Generation Impactor™ (NGI™) coupled with the HandiHaler® dry powder inhaler device, where the mass median aerodynamic diameter from 2.6 to 4.3 μm with excellent aerosol dispersion performance, as exemplified by high values of emitted dose, fine particle fraction, and respirable fraction. Overall, it was determined that the pump rates defined in the spray-drying process had a significant effect on the solid-state particle properties and that a higher pump rate produced the most optimal system. Advanced dry powder inhalers of inhalable lipopolymers for targeted dry powder inhalation delivery were successfully achieved. PMID:23355776

Defect Clustering and Nano-Phase Structure Characterization of Multi-Component Rare Earth Oxide Doped Zirconia-Yttria Thermal Barrier Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Chen, Yuan L.; Miller, Robert A.

2003-01-01

Advanced oxide thermal barrier coatings have been developed by incorporating multi-component rare earth oxide dopants into zirconia-yttria to effectively promote the creation of the thermodynamically stable, immobile oxide defect clusters and/or nano-scale phases within the coating systems. The presence of these nano-sized defect clusters has found to significantly reduce the coating intrinsic thermal conductivity, improve sintering resistance, and maintain long-term high temperature stability. In this paper, the defect clusters and nano-structured phases, which were created by the addition of multi-component rare earth dopants to the plasma-sprayed and electron-beam physical vapor deposited thermal barrier coatings, were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The defect cluster size, distribution, crystallographic and compositional information were investigated using high-resolution TEM lattice imaging, selected area diffraction (SAD), electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis techniques. The results showed that substantial defect clusters were formed in the advanced multi-component rare earth oxide doped zirconia- yttria systems. The size of the oxide defect clusters and the cluster dopant segregation was typically ranging from 5 to 50 nm. These multi-component dopant induced defect clusters are an important factor for the coating long-term high temperature stability and excellent performance.

Laser Processing of Metals and Polymers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singaravelu, Senthilraja

2012-05-01

A laser offers a unique set of opportunities for precise delivery of high quality coherent energy. This energy can be tailored to alter the properties of material allowing a very flexible adjustment of the interaction that can lead to melting, vaporization, or just surface modification. Nowadays laser systems can be found in nearly all branches of research and industry for numerous applications. Sufficient evidence exists in the literature to suggest that further advancements in the field of laser material processing will rely significantly on the development of new process schemes. As a result they can be applied in various applicationsmore » starting from fundamental research on systems, materials and processes performed on a scientific and technical basis for the industrial needs. The interaction of intense laser radiation with solid surfaces has extensively been studied for many years, in part, for development of possible applications. In this thesis, I present several applications of laser processing of metals and polymers including polishing niobium surface, producing a superconducting phase niobium nitride and depositing thin films of niobium nitride and organic material (cyclic olefin copolymer). The treated materials were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), atomic force microscopy (AFM), high resolution optical microscopy, surface profilometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Power spectral density (PSD) spectra computed from AFM data gives further insight into the effect of laser melting on the topography of the treated niobium.« less

Probing Individual Ice Nucleation Events with Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Bingbing; China, Swarup; Knopf, Daniel; Gilles, Mary; Laskin, Alexander

2016-04-01

Heterogeneous ice nucleation is one of the processes of critical relevance to a range of topics in the fundamental and the applied science and technologies. Heterogeneous ice nucleation initiated by particles proceeds where microscopic properties of particle surfaces essentially control nucleation mechanisms. Ice nucleation in the atmosphere on particles governs the formation of ice and mixed phase clouds, which in turn influence the Earth's radiative budget and climate. Heterogeneous ice nucleation is still insufficiently understood and poses significant challenges in predictive understanding of climate change. We present a novel microscopy platform allowing observation of individual ice nucleation events at temperature range of 193-273 K and relative humidity relevant for ice formation in the atmospheric clouds. The approach utilizes a home built novel ice nucleation cell interfaced with Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (IN-ESEM system). The IN-ESEM system is applied for direct observation of individual ice formation events, determining ice nucleation mechanisms, freezing temperatures, and relative humidity onsets. Reported microanalysis of the ice nucleating particles (INP) include elemental composition detected by the energy dispersed analysis of X-rays (EDX), and advanced speciation of the organic content in particles using scanning transmission x-ray microscopy with near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (STXM/NEXAFS). The performance of the IN-ESEM system is validated through a set of experiments with kaolinite particles with known ice nucleation propensity. We demonstrate an application of the IN-ESEM system to identify and characterize individual INP within a complex mixture of ambient particles.

Nano-fEM: protein localization using photo-activated localization microscopy and electron microscopy.

PubMed

Watanabe, Shigeki; Richards, Jackson; Hollopeter, Gunther; Hobson, Robert J; Davis, Wayne M; Jorgensen, Erik M

2012-12-03

Mapping the distribution of proteins is essential for understanding the function of proteins in a cell. Fluorescence microscopy is extensively used for protein localization, but subcellular context is often absent in fluorescence images. Immuno-electron microscopy, on the other hand, can localize proteins, but the technique is limited by a lack of compatible antibodies, poor preservation of morphology and because most antigens are not exposed to the specimen surface. Correlative approaches can acquire the fluorescence image from a whole cell first, either from immuno-fluorescence or genetically tagged proteins. The sample is then fixed and embedded for electron microscopy, and the images are correlated (1-3). However, the low-resolution fluorescence image and the lack of fiducial markers preclude the precise localization of proteins. Alternatively, fluorescence imaging can be done after preserving the specimen in plastic. In this approach, the block is sectioned, and fluorescence images and electron micrographs of the same section are correlated (4-7). However, the diffraction limit of light in the correlated image obscures the locations of individual molecules, and the fluorescence often extends beyond the boundary of the cell. Nano-resolution fluorescence electron microscopy (nano-fEM) is designed to localize proteins at nano-scale by imaging the same sections using photo-activated localization microscopy (PALM) and electron microscopy. PALM overcomes the diffraction limit by imaging individual fluorescent proteins and subsequently mapping the centroid of each fluorescent spot (8-10). We outline the nano-fEM technique in five steps. First, the sample is fixed and embedded using conditions that preserve the fluorescence of tagged proteins. Second, the resin blocks are sectioned into ultrathin segments (70-80 nm) that are mounted on a cover glass. Third, fluorescence is imaged in these sections using the Zeiss PALM microscope. Fourth, electron dense structures are imaged in these same sections using a scanning electron microscope. Fifth, the fluorescence and electron micrographs are aligned using gold particles as fiducial markers. In summary, the subcellular localization of fluorescently tagged proteins can be determined at nanometer resolution in approximately one week.

Future of Electron Scattering and Diffraction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hall, Ernest; Stemmer, Susanne; Zheng, Haimei

2014-02-25

The ability to correlate the atomic- and nanoscale-structure of condensed matter with physical properties (e.g., mechanical, electrical, catalytic, and optical) and functionality forms the core of many disciplines. Directing and controlling materials at the quantum-, atomic-, and molecular-levels creates enormous challenges and opportunities across a wide spectrum of critical technologies, including those involving the generation and use of energy. The workshop identified next generation electron scattering and diffraction instruments that are uniquely positioned to address these grand challenges. The workshop participants identified four key areas where the next generation of such instrumentation would have major impact: A – Multidimensional Visualizationmore » of Real Materials B – Atomic-scale Molecular Processes C – Photonic Control of Emergence in Quantum Materials D – Evolving Interfaces, Nucleation, and Mass Transport Real materials are comprised of complex three-dimensional arrangements of atoms and defects that directly determine their potential for energy applications. Understanding real materials requires new capabilities for three-dimensional atomic scale tomography and spectroscopy of atomic and electronic structures with unprecedented sensitivity, and with simultaneous spatial and energy resolution. Many molecules are able to selectively and efficiently convert sunlight into other forms of energy, like heat and electric current, or store it in altered chemical bonds. Understanding and controlling such process at the atomic scale require unprecedented time resolution. One of the grand challenges in condensed matter physics is to understand, and ultimately control, emergent phenomena in novel quantum materials that necessitate developing a new generation of instruments that probe the interplay among spin, charge, orbital, and lattice degrees of freedom with intrinsic time- and length-scale resolutions. Molecules and soft matter require imaging and spectroscopy with high spatial resolution without damaging their structure. The strong interaction of electrons with matter allows high-energy electron pulses to gather structural information before a sample is damaged. Electron ScatteringImaging, diffraction, and spectroscopy are the fundamental capabilities of electron-scattering instruments. The DOE BES-funded TEAM (Transmission Electron Aberration-corrected Microscope) project achieved unprecedented sub-atomic spatial resolution in imaging through aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy. To further advance electron scattering techniques that directly enable groundbreaking science, instrumentation must advance beyond traditional two-dimensional imaging. Advances in temporal resolution, recording the full phase and energy spaces, and improved spatial resolution constitute a new frontier in electron microscopy, and will directly address the BES Grand Challenges, such as to “control the emergent properties that arise from the complex correlations of atomic and electronic constituents” and the “hidden states” “very far away from equilibrium”. Ultrafast methods, such as the pump-probe approach, enable pathways toward understanding, and ultimately controlling, the chemical dynamics of molecular systems and the evolution of complexity in mesoscale and nanoscale systems. Central to understanding how to synthesize and exploit functional materials is having the ability to apply external stimuli (such as heat, light, a reactive flux, and an electrical bias) and to observe the resulting dynamic process in situ and in operando, and under the appropriate environment (e.g., not limited to UHV conditions). To enable revolutionary advances in electron scattering and science, the participants of the workshop recommended three major new instrumental developments: A. Atomic-Resolution Multi-Dimensional Transmission Electron Microscope: This instrument would provide quantitative information over the entire real space, momentum space, and energy space for visualizing dopants, interstitials, and light elements; for imaging localized vibrational modes and the motion of charged particles and vacancies; for correlating lattice, spin, orbital, and charge; and for determining the structure and molecular chemistry of organic and soft matter. The instrument will be uniquely suited to answer fundamental questions in condensed matter physics that require understanding the physical and electronic structure at the atomic scale. Key developments include stable cryogenic capabilities that will allow access to emergent electronic phases, as well as hard/soft interfaces and radiation- sensitive materials. B. Ultrafast Electron Diffraction and Microscopy Instrument: This instrument would be capable of nano-diffraction with 10 fs temporal resolution in stroboscopic mode, and better than 100 fs temporal resolution in single shot mode. The instrument would also achieve single- shot real-space imaging with a spatial/temporal resolution of 10 nm/10 ps, representing a thousand fold improvement over current microscopes. Such a capability would be complementary to x-ray free electron lasers due to the difference in the nature of electron and x-ray scattering, enabling space-time mapping of lattice vibrations and energy transport, facilitating the understanding of molecular dynamics of chemical reactions, the photonic control of emergence in quantum materials, and the dynamics of mesoscopic materials. C. Lab-In-Gap Dynamic Microscope: This instrument would enable quantitative measurements of materials structure, composition, and bonding evolution in technologically relevant environments, including liquids, gases and plasmas, thereby assuring the understanding of structure function relationship at the atomic scale with up to nanosecond temporal resolution. This instrument would employ a versatile, modular sample stage and holder geometry to allow the multi-modal (e.g., optical, thermal, mechanical, electrical, and electrochemical) probing of materials’ functionality in situ and in operando. The electron optics encompasses a pole piece that can accommodate the new stage, differential pumping, detectors, aberration correctors, and other electron optical elements for measurement of materials dynamics. To realize the proposed instruments in a timely fashion, BES should aggressively support research and development of complementary and enabling instruments, including new electron sources, advanced electron optics, new tunable specimen pumps and sample stages, and new detectors. The proposed instruments would have transformative impact on physics, chemistry, materials science, engineering« less

Backscattered electron SEM imaging of resin sections from plant specimens: observation of histological to subcellular structure and CLEM.

PubMed

Rizzo, N W; Duncan, K E; Bourett, T M; Howard, R J

2016-08-01

We have refined methods for biological specimen preparation and low-voltage backscattered electron imaging in the scanning electron microscope that allow for observation at continuous magnifications of ca. 130-70 000 X, and documentation of tissue and subcellular ultrastructure detail. The technique, based upon early work by Ogura & Hasegawa (1980), affords use of significantly larger sections from fixed and resin-embedded specimens than is possible with transmission electron microscopy while providing similar data. After microtomy, the sections, typically ca. 750 nm thick, were dried onto the surface of glass or silicon wafer and stained with heavy metals-the use of grids avoided. The glass/wafer support was then mounted onto standard scanning electron microscopy sample stubs, carbon-coated and imaged directly at an accelerating voltage of 5 kV, using either a yttrium aluminum garnet or ExB backscattered electron detector. Alternatively, the sections could be viewed first by light microscopy, for example to document signal from a fluorescent protein, and then by scanning electron microscopy to provide correlative light/electron microscope (CLEM) data. These methods provide unobstructed access to ultrastructure in the spatial context of a section ca. 7 × 10 mm in size, significantly larger than the typical 0.2 × 0.3 mm section used for conventional transmission electron microscopy imaging. Application of this approach was especially useful when the biology of interest was rare or difficult to find, e.g. a particular cell type, developmental stage, large organ, the interface between cells of interacting organisms, when contextual information within a large tissue was obligatory, or combinations of these factors. In addition, the methods were easily adapted for immunolocalizations. © 2015 The Author. Journal of Microscopy published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd on behalf of the Royal Microscopical Society.

Preservation of protein fluorescence in embedded human dendritic cells for targeted 3D light and electron microscopy.

PubMed

Höhn, K; Fuchs, J; Fröber, A; Kirmse, R; Glass, B; Anders-Össwein, M; Walther, P; Kräusslich, H-G; Dietrich, C

2015-08-01

In this study, we present a correlative microscopy workflow to combine detailed 3D fluorescence light microscopy data with ultrastructural information gained by 3D focused ion beam assisted scanning electron microscopy. The workflow is based on an optimized high pressure freezing/freeze substitution protocol that preserves good ultrastructural detail along with retaining the fluorescence signal in the resin embedded specimens. Consequently, cellular structures of interest can readily be identified and imaged by state of the art 3D confocal fluorescence microscopy and are precisely referenced with respect to an imprinted coordinate system on the surface of the resin block. This allows precise guidance of the focused ion beam assisted scanning electron microscopy and limits the volume to be imaged to the structure of interest. This, in turn, minimizes the total acquisition time necessary to conduct the time consuming ultrastructural scanning electron microscope imaging while eliminating the risk to miss parts of the target structure. We illustrate the value of this workflow for targeting virus compartments, which are formed in HIV-pulsed mature human dendritic cells. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2015 Royal Microscopical Society.

Integration of a high-NA light microscope in a scanning electron microscope.

PubMed

Zonnevylle, A C; Van Tol, R F C; Liv, N; Narvaez, A C; Effting, A P J; Kruit, P; Hoogenboom, J P

2013-10-01

We present an integrated light-electron microscope in which an inverted high-NA objective lens is positioned inside a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The SEM objective lens and the light objective lens have a common axis and focal plane, allowing high-resolution optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy on the same area of a sample simultaneously. Components for light illumination and detection can be mounted outside the vacuum, enabling flexibility in the construction of the light microscope. The light objective lens can be positioned underneath the SEM objective lens during operation for sub-10 μm alignment of the fields of view of the light and electron microscopes. We demonstrate in situ epifluorescence microscopy in the SEM with a numerical aperture of 1.4 using vacuum-compatible immersion oil. For a 40-nm-diameter fluorescent polymer nanoparticle, an intensity profile with a FWHM of 380 nm is measured whereas the SEM performance is uncompromised. The integrated instrument may offer new possibilities for correlative light and electron microscopy in the life sciences as well as in physics and chemistry. © 2013 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2013 Royal Microscopical Society.

Novel Electrical and Optoelectronic Characterization Methods for Semiconducting Nanowires and Nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katzenmeyer, Aaron Michael

As technology journalist David Pogue recounted, "If everything we own had improved over the last 25 years as much as electronics have, the average family car would travel four times faster than the space shuttle; houses would cost 200 bucks." The electronics industry is one which, through Moore's Law, created a self-fulfilling prophecy of exponential advancement. This progress has made unforeseen technologies commonplace and revealed new physical understanding of the world in which we live. It is in keeping with these trends that the current work is motivated. This dissertation focuses on the advancement of electrical and optoelectronic characterization techniques suitable for understanding the underlying physics and applications of nanoscopic devices, in particular semiconducting nanowires and nanotubes. In this work an in situ measurement platform based on a field-emission scanning electron microscope fitted with an electrical nanoprobe is shown to be a robust instrument for determining fundamental aspects of nanowire systems (i.e. the dominant mode of carrier transport and the nature of the electrical contacts to the nanowire). The platform is used to fully classify two distinct systems. In one instance it is found that indium arsenide nanowires display space-charge-limited transport and are contacted Ohmically. In the other, gallium arsenide nanowires are found to sequentially show the trap-mediated transport regimes of Poole-Frenkel effect and phonon-assisted tunneling. The contacts in this system are resolved to be asymmetric -- one is Ohmic while the other is a Schottky barrier. Additionally scanning photocurrent microscopy is used to spatially resolve optoelectronic nanowire and nanotube devices. In core/shell gallium arsenide nanowire solar cell arrays it is shown that each individual nanowire functions as a standalone solar cell. Nanotube photodiodes are mapped by scanning photocurrent microscopy to confirm an optimal current collection scheme has been realized and to locate the devices' most responsive region. The devices are shown to exhibit strongly enhanced photocurrent under reverse bias proposing unexpected efficiency increases in a scalable device layout.

Imaging electronic motions by ultrafast electron diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Hua-Chieh; Starace, Anthony F.

2017-08-01

Recently ultrafast electron diffraction and microscopy have reached unprecedented temporal resolution, and transient structures with atomic precision have been observed in various reactions. It is anticipated that these extraordinary advances will soon allow direct observation of electronic motions during chemical reactions. We therefore performed a series of theoretical investigations and simulations to investigate the imaging of electronic motions in atoms and molecules by ultrafast electron diffraction. Three prototypical electronic motions were considered for hydrogen atoms. For the case of a breathing mode, the electron density expands and contracts periodically, and we show that the time-resolved scattering intensities reflect such changes of the charge radius. For the case of a wiggling mode, the electron oscillates from one side of the nucleus to the other, and we show that the diffraction images exhibit asymmetric angular distributions. The last case is a hybrid mode that involves both breathing and wiggling motions. Owing to the demonstrated ability of ultrafast electrons to image these motions, we have proposed to image a coherent population transfer in lithium atoms using currently available femtosecond electron pulses. A frequency-swept laser pulse adiabatically drives the valence electron of a lithium atom from the 2s to 2p orbitals, and a time-delayed electron pulse maps such motion. Our simulations show that the diffraction images reflect this motion both in the scattering intensities and the angular distributions.

Preface to Special Topic: Piezoresponse Force Microscopy

DOE PAGES

Balke, Nina; Bassiri-Gharb, Nazanin; Lichtensteiger, Céline

2015-08-19

Almost two decades beyond the inception of piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) and the seminal papers by G€uthner and Dransfeld1 and Gruverman et al., the technique has become the prevailing approach for nanoscale functional characterization of polar materials and has been extended to the probing of other electromechanical effects through the advent of electrochemical strain microscopy (ESM). This focus issue celebrates some of the recent advances in the field and offers a wider outlook of polar materials and their overall characterization. In this paper, we cover topics that include discussions of the properties of traditional ferroelectrics, such as lead zirconate titanatemore » (PZT) and lithium niobate, relaxorferroelectrics, as well as more “exotic” ferroelectric oxides such as hafnia, ferroelectric biological matter, and multiferroic materials. Technique-oriented contributions include papers on the coupling of PFM with other characterization methods such as x-ray diffraction (XRD) and superconducting quantum interface device (SQUID), in addition to considerations on the open questions on the electromechanical response in biased scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques, including the effects of the laser spot placement on the readout cantilever displacement, the influence of the tip on the creation of the domain shapes, and the impact of ionic and electronic dynamics on the observed nanoscale hysteretic phenomena.« less

Low-cost fluorescence microscopy for point-of-care cell imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lochhead, Michael J.; Ives, Jeff; Givens, Monique; Delaney, Marie; Moll, Kevin; Myatt, Christopher J.

2010-02-01

Fluorescence microscopy has long been a standard tool in laboratory medicine. Implementation of fluorescence microscopy for near-patient diagnostics, however, has been limited due to cost and complexity associated with traditional fluorescence microscopy techniques. There is a particular need for robust, low-cost imaging in high disease burden areas in the developing world, where access to central laboratory facilities and trained staff is limited. Here we describe a point-of-care assay that combines a disposable plastic cartridge with an extremely low cost fluorescence imaging instrument. Based on a novel, multi-mode planar waveguide configuration, the system capitalizes on advances in volume-manufactured consumer electronic components to deliver an imaging system with minimal moving parts and low power requirements. A two-color cell imager is presented, with magnification optimized for enumeration of immunostained human T cells. To demonstrate the system, peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stained with fluorescently labeled anti-human-CD4 and anti-human-CD3 antibodies. Registered images were used to generate fractional CD4+ and CD3+ staining and enumeration results that show excellent correlation with flow cytometry. The cell imager is under development as a very low cost CD4+ T cell counter for HIV disease management in limited resource settings.

Electron microscopy approach for the visualization of the epithelial and endothelial glycocalyx.

PubMed

Chevalier, L; Selim, J; Genty, D; Baste, J M; Piton, N; Boukhalfa, I; Hamzaoui, M; Pareige, P; Richard, V

2017-06-01

This study presents a methodological approach for the visualization of the glycocalyx by electron microscopy. The glycocalyx is a three dimensional network mainly composed of glycolipids, glycoproteins and proteoglycans associated with the plasma membrane. Since less than a decade, the epithelial and endothelial glycocalyx proved to play an important role in physiology and pathology, increasing its research interest especially in vascular functions. Therefore, visualization of the glycocalyx requires reliable techniques and its preservation remains challenging due to its fragile and dynamic organization, which is highly sensitive to the different process steps for electron microscopy sampling. In this study, chemical fixation was performed by perfusion as a good alternative to conventional fixation. Additional lanthanum nitrate in the fixative enhances staining of the glycocalyx in transmission electron microscopy bright field and improves its visualization by detecting the elastic scattered electrons, thus providing a chemical contrast. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Scanning electron microscopy of cells and tissues under fully hydrated conditions

PubMed Central

Thiberge, Stephan; Nechushtan, Amotz; Sprinzak, David; Gileadi, Opher; Behar, Vered; Zik, Ory; Chowers, Yehuda; Michaeli, Shulamit; Schlessinger, Joseph; Moses, Elisha

2004-01-01

A capability for scanning electron microscopy of wet biological specimens is presented. A membrane that is transparent to electrons protects the fully hydrated sample from the vacuum. The result is a hybrid technique combining the ease of use and ability to see into cells of optical microscopy with the higher resolution of electron microscopy. The resolution of low-contrast materials is ≈100 nm, whereas in high-contrast materials the resolution can reach 10 nm. Standard immunogold techniques and heavy-metal stains can be applied and viewed in the fluid to improve the contrast. Images present a striking combination of whole-cell morphology with a wealth of internal details. A possibility for direct inspection of tissue slices transpires, imaging only the external layer of cells. Simultaneous imaging with photons excited by the electrons incorporates data on material distribution, indicating a potential for multilabeling and specific scintillating markers. PMID:14988502

Attosecond electron pulse trains and quantum state reconstruction in ultrafast transmission electron microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priebe, Katharina E.; Rathje, Christopher; Yalunin, Sergey V.; Hohage, Thorsten; Feist, Armin; Schäfer, Sascha; Ropers, Claus

2017-12-01

Ultrafast electron and X-ray imaging and spectroscopy are the basis for an ongoing revolution in the understanding of dynamical atomic-scale processes in matter. The underlying technology relies heavily on laser science for the generation and characterization of ever shorter pulses. Recent findings suggest that ultrafast electron microscopy with attosecond-structured wavefunctions may be feasible. However, such future technologies call for means to both prepare and fully analyse the corresponding free-electron quantum states. Here, we introduce a framework for the preparation, coherent manipulation and characterization of free-electron quantum states, experimentally demonstrating attosecond electron pulse trains. Phase-locked optical fields coherently control the electron wavefunction along the beam direction. We establish a new variant of quantum state tomography—`SQUIRRELS'—for free-electron ensembles. The ability to tailor and quantitatively map electron quantum states will promote the nanoscale study of electron-matter entanglement and new forms of ultrafast electron microscopy down to the attosecond regime.

Nanowire growth kinetics in aberration corrected environmental transmission electron microscopy

DOE PAGES

Chou, Yi -Chia; Panciera, Federico; Reuter, Mark C.; ...

2016-03-15

Here, we visualize atomic level dynamics during Si nanowire growth using aberration corrected environmental transmission electron microscopy, and compare with lower pressure results from ultra-high vacuum microscopy. We discuss the importance of higher pressure observations for understanding growth mechanisms and describe protocols to minimize effects of the higher pressure background gas.

Electronic Blending in Virtual Microscopy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maybury, Terrence S.; Farah, Camile S.

2010-01-01

Virtual microscopy (VM) is a relatively new technology that transforms the computer into a microscope. In essence, VM allows for the scanning and transfer of glass slides from light microscopy technology to the digital environment of the computer. This transition is also a function of the change from print knowledge to electronic knowledge, or as…

Structural and Ultrastructural Characteristics of Bone-Tendon Junction of the Calcaneal Tendon of Adult and Elderly Wistar Rats

PubMed Central

Cury, Diego Pulzatto; Dias, Fernando José; Miglino, Maria Angélica; Watanabe, Ii-sei

2016-01-01

Tendons are transition tissues that transfer the contractile forces generated by the muscles to the bones, allowing movement. The region where the tendon attaches to the bone is called bone-tendon junction or enthesis and may be classified as fibrous or fibrocartilaginous. This study aims to analyze the collagen fibers and the cells present in the bone-tendon junction using light microscopy and ultrastructural techniques as scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Forty male Wistar rats were used in the experiment, being 20 adult rats at 4 months-old and 20 elderly rats at 20 months-old. The hind limbs of the rats were removed, dissected and prepared to light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The aging process showed changes in the collagen fibrils, with a predominance of type III fibers in the elderly group, in addition to a decrease in the amount of the fibrocartilage cells, fewer and shorter cytoplasmic processes and a decreased synthetic capacity due to degradation of the organelles involved in synthesis. PMID:27078690

Preservation of protein fluorescence in embedded human dendritic cells for targeted 3D light and electron microscopy

PubMed Central

HÖHN, K.; FUCHS, J.; FRÖBER, A.; KIRMSE, R.; GLASS, B.; ANDERS‐ÖSSWEIN, M.; WALTHER, P.; KRÄUSSLICH, H.‐G.

2015-01-01

Summary In this study, we present a correlative microscopy workflow to combine detailed 3D fluorescence light microscopy data with ultrastructural information gained by 3D focused ion beam assisted scanning electron microscopy. The workflow is based on an optimized high pressure freezing/freeze substitution protocol that preserves good ultrastructural detail along with retaining the fluorescence signal in the resin embedded specimens. Consequently, cellular structures of interest can readily be identified and imaged by state of the art 3D confocal fluorescence microscopy and are precisely referenced with respect to an imprinted coordinate system on the surface of the resin block. This allows precise guidance of the focused ion beam assisted scanning electron microscopy and limits the volume to be imaged to the structure of interest. This, in turn, minimizes the total acquisition time necessary to conduct the time consuming ultrastructural scanning electron microscope imaging while eliminating the risk to miss parts of the target structure. We illustrate the value of this workflow for targeting virus compartments, which are formed in HIV‐pulsed mature human dendritic cells. PMID:25786567

Structural and Ultrastructural Characteristics of Bone-Tendon Junction of the Calcaneal Tendon of Adult and Elderly Wistar Rats.

PubMed

Cury, Diego Pulzatto; Dias, Fernando José; Miglino, Maria Angélica; Watanabe, Ii-sei

2016-01-01

Tendons are transition tissues that transfer the contractile forces generated by the muscles to the bones, allowing movement. The region where the tendon attaches to the bone is called bone-tendon junction or enthesis and may be classified as fibrous or fibrocartilaginous. This study aims to analyze the collagen fibers and the cells present in the bone-tendon junction using light microscopy and ultrastructural techniques as scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Forty male Wistar rats were used in the experiment, being 20 adult rats at 4 months-old and 20 elderly rats at 20 months-old. The hind limbs of the rats were removed, dissected and prepared to light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The aging process showed changes in the collagen fibrils, with a predominance of type III fibers in the elderly group, in addition to a decrease in the amount of the fibrocartilage cells, fewer and shorter cytoplasmic processes and a decreased synthetic capacity due to degradation of the organelles involved in synthesis.

Biological applications of phase-contrast electron microscopy.

PubMed

Nagayama, Kuniaki

2014-01-01

Here, I review the principles and applications of phase-contrast electron microscopy using phase plates. First, I develop the principle of phase contrast based on a minimal model of microscopy, introducing a double Fourier-transform process to mathematically formulate the image formation. Next, I explain four phase-contrast (PC) schemes, defocus PC, Zernike PC, Hilbert differential contrast, and schlieren optics, as image-filtering processes in the context of the minimal model, with particular emphases on the Zernike PC and corresponding Zernike phase plates. Finally, I review applications of Zernike PC cryo-electron microscopy to biological systems such as protein molecules, virus particles, and cells, including single-particle analysis to delineate three-dimensional (3D) structures of protein and virus particles and cryo-electron tomography to reconstruct 3D images of complex protein systems and cells.

State-of-the-art characterization techniques for advanced lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Jun; Wu, Tianpin; Amine, Khalil

2017-03-01

To meet future needs for industries from personal devices to automobiles, state-of-the-art rechargeable lithium-ion batteries will require both improved durability and lowered costs. To enhance battery performance and lifetime, understanding electrode degradation mechanisms is of critical importance. Various advanced in situ and operando characterization tools developed during the past few years have proven indispensable for optimizing battery materials, understanding cell degradation mechanisms, and ultimately improving the overall battery performance. Here we review recent progress in the development and application of advanced characterization techniques such as in situ transmission electron microscopy for high-performance lithium-ion batteries. Using three representative electrode systems—layered metal oxides, Li-rich layered oxides and Si-based or Sn-based alloys—we discuss how these tools help researchers understand the battery process and design better battery systems. We also summarize the application of the characterization techniques to lithium-sulfur and lithium-air batteries and highlight the importance of those techniques in the development of next-generation batteries.

Atmospheric Corrosion Behavior and Mechanism of a Ni-Advanced Weathering Steel in Simulated Tropical Marine Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Wei; Zeng, Zhongping; Cheng, Xuequn; Li, Xiaogang; Liu, Bo

2017-12-01

Corrosion behavior of Ni-advanced weathering steel, as well as carbon steel and conventional weathering steel, in a simulated tropical marine atmosphere was studied by field exposure and indoor simulation tests. Meanwhile, morphology and composition of corrosion products formed on the exposed steels were surveyed through scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction. Results indicated that the additive Ni in weathering steel played an important role during the corrosion process, which took part in the formation of corrosion products, enriched in the inner rust layer and promoted the transformation from loose γ-FeOOH to dense α-FeOOH. As a result, the main aggressive ion, i.e., Cl-, was effectively separated in the outer rust layer which leads to the lowest corrosion rate among these tested steels. Thus, the resistance of Ni-advanced weathering steel to atmospheric corrosion was significantly improved in a simulated tropical marine environment.

Characterization of microstructure and property evolution in advanced cladding and duct: Materials exposed to high dose and elevated temperature

DOE PAGES

Allen, Todd R.; Kaoumi, Djamel; Wharry, Janelle P.; ...

2015-05-20

Designing materials for performance in high-radiation fields can be accelerated through a carefully chosen combination of advanced multiscale modeling paired with appropriate experimental validation. Here, the studies reported in this work, the combined efforts of six universities working together as the Consortium on Cladding and Structural Materials, use that approach to focus on improving the scientific basis for the response of ferritic–martensitic steels to irradiation. A combination of modern modeling techniques with controlled experimentation has specifically focused on improving the understanding of radiation-induced segregation, precipitate formation and growth under radiation, the stability of oxide nanoclusters, and the development of dislocationmore » networks under radiation. Experimental studies use both model and commercial alloys, irradiated with both ion beams and neutrons. Lastly, transmission electron microscopy and atom probe are combined with both first-principles and rate theory approaches to advance the understanding of ferritic–martensitic steels.« less

Anode Design Based on Microscale Porous Scaffolds for Advanced Lithium Ion Batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Hyeji; Choi, Hyelim; Nam, Kyungju; Lee, Sukyung; Um, Ji Hyun; Kim, Kyungbae; Kim, Jae-Hun; Yoon, Won-Sub; Choe, Heeman

2017-06-01

Considering the increasing demands for advanced power sources, present-day lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) must provide a higher energy and power density and better cycling stability than conventional LIBs. This study suggests a promising electrode design solution to this problem using Cu, Co, and Ti scaffolds with a microscale porous structure synthesized via freeze-casting. Co3O4 and TiO2 layers are uniformly formed on the Co and Ti scaffolds, respectively, through a simple thermal heat-treatment process, and a SnO2 layer is formed on the Cu scaffold through electroless plating and thermal oxidation. This paper characterizes and evaluates the physical and electrochemical properties of the proposed electrodes using scanning electron microscopy, four-point probe and coin-cell tests to confirm the feasibility of their potential use in LIBs.

Calcium-magnesium Aluminosilicate (CMAS) Interactions with Advanced Environmental Barrier Coating Material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiesner, Valerie L.; Bansal, Narottam P.

2015-01-01

Particulates, like sand and volcanic ash, threaten the development of robust environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) that protect next-generation silicon-based ceramic matrix composite (CMC) turbine engine components from harsh combustion environments during service. The siliceous particulates transform into molten glassy deposits of calcium-magnesium aluminosilicate (CMAS) when ingested by an aircraft engine operating at temperatures above 1200C. In this study, a sample of desert sand was melted into CMAS glass to evaluate high-temperature interactions between the sand glass and an advanced EBC material. Desert sand glass was added to the surface of hot-pressed EBC substrates, which were then heated in air at temperatures ranging from 1200C to 1500C. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy were used to evaluate microstructure and phase compositions of specimens and the CMASEBC interface after heat treatments.

Application of STEM characterization for investigating radiation effects in BCC Fe-based alloys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parish, Chad M.; Field, Kevin G.; Certain, Alicia G.

2015-04-20

This paper provides a general overview of advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) techniques used for characterization of irradiated BCC Fe-based alloys. Advanced STEM methods provide the high-resolution imaging and chemical analysis necessary to understand the irradiation response of BCC Fe-based alloys. The use of STEM with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) for measurement of radiation-induced segregation (RIS) is described, with an illustrated example of RIS in proton- and self-ion irradiated T91. Aberration-corrected STEM-EDX for nanocluster/nanoparticle imaging and chemical analysis is also discussed, and examples are provided from ion-irradiated oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys. In conclusion, STEM techniques for void,more » cavity, and dislocation loop imaging are described, with examples from various BCC Fe-based alloys.« less

Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy for complex transition metal oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qing-Hua, Zhang; Dong-Dong, Xiao; Lin, Gu

2016-06-01

Lattice, charge, orbital, and spin are the four fundamental degrees of freedom in condensed matter, of which the interactive coupling derives tremendous novel physical phenomena, such as high-temperature superconductivity (high-T c SC) and colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) in strongly correlated electronic system. Direct experimental observation of these freedoms is essential to understanding the structure-property relationship and the physics behind it, and also indispensable for designing new materials and devices. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) integrating multiple techniques of structure imaging and spectrum analysis, is a comprehensive platform for providing structural, chemical and electronic information of materials with a high spatial resolution. Benefiting from the development of aberration correctors, STEM has taken a big breakthrough towards sub-angstrom resolution in last decade and always steps forward to improve the capability of material characterization; many improvements have been achieved in recent years, thereby giving an in-depth insight into material research. Here, we present a brief review of the recent advances of STEM by some representative examples of perovskite transition metal oxides; atomic-scale mapping of ferroelectric polarization, octahedral distortions and rotations, valence state, coordination and spin ordering are presented. We expect that this brief introduction about the current capability of STEM could facilitate the understanding of the relationship between functional properties and these fundamental degrees of freedom in complex oxides. Project supported by the National Key Basic Research Project, China (Grant No. 2014CB921002), the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB07030200), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51522212 and 51421002).

Gas Sensing Properties of ZnO-SnO2 Nanostructures.

PubMed

Chen, Weigen; Li, Qianzhu; Xu, Lingna; Zeng, Wen

2015-02-01

One-dimensional (1D) semiconductor metal oxide nanostructures have attracted increasing attention in electrochemistry, optics, magnetic, and gas sensing fields for the good properties. N-type low dimensional semiconducting oxides such as SnO2 and ZnO have been known for the detection of inflammable or toxic gases. In this paper, we fabricated the ZnO-SnO2 and SnO2 nanoparticles by hydrothermal synthesis. Microstructure characterization was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and surface morphologies for both the pristine and doped samples were observed using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Then we made thin film gas sensor to study the gas sensing properties of ZnO-SnO2 and SnO2 gas sensor to H2 and CO. A systematic comparison study reveals an enhanced gas sensing performance for the sensor made of SnO2 and ZnO toward H2 and CO over that of the commonly applied undecorated SnO2 nanoparticles. The improved gas sensing properties are attributed to the size of grains and pronounced electron transfer between the compound nanostructures and the absorbed oxygen species as well as to the heterojunctions of the ZnO nanoparticles to the SnO2 nanoparticles, which provide additional reaction rooms. The results represent an advance of compound nanostructures in further enhancing the functionality of gas sensors, and this facile method could be applicable to many sensing materials, offering a new avenue and direction to detect gases of interest based on composite tin oxide nanoparticles.

Fast electron microscopy via compressive sensing

DOEpatents

Larson, Kurt W; Anderson, Hyrum S; Wheeler, Jason W

2014-12-09

Various technologies described herein pertain to compressive sensing electron microscopy. A compressive sensing electron microscope includes a multi-beam generator and a detector. The multi-beam generator emits a sequence of electron patterns over time. Each of the electron patterns can include a plurality of electron beams, where the plurality of electron beams is configured to impart a spatially varying electron density on a sample. Further, the spatially varying electron density varies between each of the electron patterns in the sequence. Moreover, the detector collects signals respectively corresponding to interactions between the sample and each of the electron patterns in the sequence.

Microscanners for optical endomicroscopic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Kyungmin; Seo, Yeong-Hyeon; Jeong, Ki-Hun

2017-12-01

MEMS laser scanning enables the miniaturization of endoscopic catheters for advanced endomicroscopy such as confocal microscopy, multiphoton microscopy, optical coherence tomography, and many other laser scanning microscopy. These advanced biomedical imaging modalities open a great potential for in vivo optical biopsy without surgical excision. They have huge capabilities for detecting on-demand early stage cancer with non-invasiveness. In this article, the scanning arrangement, trajectory, and actuation mechanism of endoscopic microscanners and their endomicroscopic applications will be overviewed.

Photon gating in four-dimensional ultrafast electron microscopy.

PubMed

Hassan, Mohammed T; Liu, Haihua; Baskin, John Spencer; Zewail, Ahmed H

2015-10-20

Ultrafast electron microscopy (UEM) is a pivotal tool for imaging of nanoscale structural dynamics with subparticle resolution on the time scale of atomic motion. Photon-induced near-field electron microscopy (PINEM), a key UEM technique, involves the detection of electrons that have gained energy from a femtosecond optical pulse via photon-electron coupling on nanostructures. PINEM has been applied in various fields of study, from materials science to biological imaging, exploiting the unique spatial, energy, and temporal characteristics of the PINEM electrons gained by interaction with a "single" light pulse. The further potential of photon-gated PINEM electrons in probing ultrafast dynamics of matter and the optical gating of electrons by invoking a "second" optical pulse has previously been proposed and examined theoretically in our group. Here, we experimentally demonstrate this photon-gating technique, and, through diffraction, visualize the phase transition dynamics in vanadium dioxide nanoparticles. With optical gating of PINEM electrons, imaging temporal resolution was improved by a factor of 3 or better, being limited only by the optical pulse widths. This work enables the combination of the high spatial resolution of electron microscopy and the ultrafast temporal response of the optical pulses, which provides a promising approach to attain the resolution of few femtoseconds and attoseconds in UEM.

Photon gating in four-dimensional ultrafast electron microscopy

PubMed Central

Hassan, Mohammed T.; Liu, Haihua; Baskin, John Spencer; Zewail, Ahmed H.

2015-01-01

Ultrafast electron microscopy (UEM) is a pivotal tool for imaging of nanoscale structural dynamics with subparticle resolution on the time scale of atomic motion. Photon-induced near-field electron microscopy (PINEM), a key UEM technique, involves the detection of electrons that have gained energy from a femtosecond optical pulse via photon–electron coupling on nanostructures. PINEM has been applied in various fields of study, from materials science to biological imaging, exploiting the unique spatial, energy, and temporal characteristics of the PINEM electrons gained by interaction with a “single” light pulse. The further potential of photon-gated PINEM electrons in probing ultrafast dynamics of matter and the optical gating of electrons by invoking a “second” optical pulse has previously been proposed and examined theoretically in our group. Here, we experimentally demonstrate this photon-gating technique, and, through diffraction, visualize the phase transition dynamics in vanadium dioxide nanoparticles. With optical gating of PINEM electrons, imaging temporal resolution was improved by a factor of 3 or better, being limited only by the optical pulse widths. This work enables the combination of the high spatial resolution of electron microscopy and the ultrafast temporal response of the optical pulses, which provides a promising approach to attain the resolution of few femtoseconds and attoseconds in UEM. PMID:26438835

Solid State Division progress report for period ending September 30, 1993

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Green, P.H.; Hinton, L.W.

1994-08-01

This report covers research progress in the Solid State Division from April 1, 1992, to September 30, 1993. During this period, the division conducted a broad, interdisciplinary materials research program with emphasis on theoretical solid state physics, neutron scattering, synthesis and characterization of materials, ion beam and laser processing, and the structure of solids and surfaces. This research effort was enhanced by new capabilities in atomic-scale materials characterization, new emphasis on the synthesis and processing of materials, and increased partnering with industry and universities. The theoretical effort included a broad range of analytical studies, as well as a new emphasismore » on numerical simulation stimulated by advances in high-performance computing and by strong interest in related division experimental programs. Superconductivity research continued to advance on a broad front from fundamental mechanisms of high-temperature superconductivity to the development of new materials and processing techniques. The Neutron Scattering Program was characterized by a strong scientific user program and growing diversity represented by new initiatives in complex fluids and residual stress. The national emphasis on materials synthesis and processing was mirrored in division research programs in thin-film processing, surface modification, and crystal growth. Research on advanced processing techniques such as laser ablation, ion implantation, and plasma processing was complemented by strong programs in the characterization of materials and surfaces including ultrahigh resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, atomic-resolution chemical analysis, synchrotron x-ray research, and scanning tunneling microscopy.« less

EDITORIAL: Probing the nanoworld Probing the nanoworld

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miles, Mervyn

2009-10-01

In nanotechnology, it is the unique properties arising from nanometre-scale structures that lead not only to their technological importance but also to a better understanding of the underlying science. Over the last twenty years, material properties at the nanoscale have been dominated by the properties of carbon in the form of the C60 molecule, single- and multi-wall carbon nanotubes, nanodiamonds, and recently graphene. During this period, research published in the journal Nanotechnology has revealed the amazing mechanical properties of such materials as well as their remarkable electronic properties with the promise of new devices. Furthermore, nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanorods, and nanowires from metals and dielectrics have been characterized for their electronic, mechanical, optical, chemical and catalytic properties. Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has become the main characterization technique and atomic force microscopy (AFM) the most frequently used SPM. Over the past twenty years, SPM techniques that were previously experimental in nature have become routine. At the same time, investigations using AFM continue to yield impressive results that demonstrate the great potential of this powerful imaging tool, particularly in close to physiological conditions. In this special issue a collaboration of researchers in Europe report the use of AFM to provide high-resolution topographical images of individual carbon nanotubes immobilized on various biological membranes, including a nuclear membrane for the first time (Lamprecht C et al 2009 Nanotechnology 20 434001). Other SPM developments such as high-speed AFM appear to be making a transition from specialist laboratories to the mainstream, and perhaps the same may be said for non-contact AFM. Looking to the future, characterisation techniques involving SPM and spectroscopy, such as tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, could emerge as everyday methods. In all these advanced techniques, routinely available probes will be needed to make them mainstream methods, as was indeed the case for establishing AFM. At the same time, both transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy have undergone major developments in resolution, spectroscopic techniques, and new techniques such as tomography. It is exciting to speculate in which areas new properties of materials at the nanoscale will be discovered over the next twenty years, and how characterization methods will evolve, but it is the unimaginable and unpredictable that will bring the most dramatic changes to nanotechnology.

Use of scanning electron microscopy and microanalysis to determine chloride content of concrete and raw materials.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-02-01

Standard sample sets of cement and mortar formulations with known levels of Cl as well as concrete samples subject to Cl diffusion were all prepared for and analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron microprobe (EPMA). Using x-ray ...

Comparative morphology of zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga (Dreissena bugensis) mussel sperm: Light and electron microscopy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walker, G.K.; Black, M.G.; Edwards, C.A.

1996-01-01

Adult zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga (Dreissena bugensis) mussels were induced to release large quantities of live spermatozoa by the administration of 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin). Sperm were photographed alive using phase-contrast microscopy and were fixed subsequently with glutaraldehyde followed by osmium tetroxide for eventual examination by transmission or scanning electron microscopy. The sperm of both genera are of the ect-aquasperm type. Their overall dimensions and shape allow for easy discrimination at the light and scanning electron microscopy level. Transmission electron microscopy of the cells reveals a barrel-shaped nucleus in zebra mussel sperm and an elongated nucleus in quagga mussel sperm. In both species, an acrosome is cradled in a nuclear fossa. The ultrastructure of the acrosome and axial body, however, is distinctive for each species. The structures of the midpiece are shown, including a unique mitochondrial "skirt" that includes densely packed parallel cristae and extends in a narrow sheet from the mitochondria.

Microchemical Analysis Of Space Operation Debris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cummings, Virginia J.; Kim, Hae Soo

1995-01-01

Report discusses techniques used in analyzing debris relative to space shuttle operations. Debris collected from space shuttle, expendable launch vehicles, payloads carried by space shuttle, and payloads carried by expendable launch vehicles. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectrometry, analytical electron microscopy with wavelength-dispersive spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction chosen as techniques used in examining samples of debris.

Hollow Au/Ag nanostars displaying broad plasmonic resonance and high surface-enhanced Raman sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Leis, Adianez; Torreggiani, Armida; Garcia-Ramos, Jose Vicente; Sanchez-Cortes, Santiago

2015-08-01

Bimetallic Au/Ag hollow nanostar (HNS) nanoparticles with different morphologies were prepared in this work. These nanoplatforms were obtained by changing the experimental conditions (concentration of silver and chemical reductors, hydroxylamine and citrate) and by using Ag nanostars as template nanoparticles (NPs) through galvanic replacement. The goal of this research was to create bimetallic Au/Ag star-shaped nanoparticles with advanced properties displaying a broader plasmonic resonance, a cleaner exposed surface, and a high concentration of electromagnetic hot spots on the surface provided by the special morphology of nanostars. The size, shape, and composition of Ag as well as their optical properties were studied by extinction spectroscopy, hyperspectral dark field microscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Finally, the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity of these HNS was investigated by using thioflavin T, a biomarker of the β-amyloid fibril formation, responsible for Alzheimer's disease. Lucigenin, a molecule displaying different SERS activities on Au and Ag, was also used to explore the presence of these metals on the NP surface. Thus, a relationship between the morphology, plasmon resonance and SERS activity of these new NPs was made.Bimetallic Au/Ag hollow nanostar (HNS) nanoparticles with different morphologies were prepared in this work. These nanoplatforms were obtained by changing the experimental conditions (concentration of silver and chemical reductors, hydroxylamine and citrate) and by using Ag nanostars as template nanoparticles (NPs) through galvanic replacement. The goal of this research was to create bimetallic Au/Ag star-shaped nanoparticles with advanced properties displaying a broader plasmonic resonance, a cleaner exposed surface, and a high concentration of electromagnetic hot spots on the surface provided by the special morphology of nanostars. The size, shape, and composition of Ag as well as their optical properties were studied by extinction spectroscopy, hyperspectral dark field microscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Finally, the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity of these HNS was investigated by using thioflavin T, a biomarker of the β-amyloid fibril formation, responsible for Alzheimer's disease. Lucigenin, a molecule displaying different SERS activities on Au and Ag, was also used to explore the presence of these metals on the NP surface. Thus, a relationship between the morphology, plasmon resonance and SERS activity of these new NPs was made. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: The SERS spectra of ThT on A-E samples are provided at two different excitations: 532 and 785 nm (Fig. S1). See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr02819a

Publications - GMC 357 | Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical

Science.gov Websites

DGGS GMC 357 Publication Details Title: Thin Section and Scanning Electron Microscopy summary Laboratories, Inc., 2008, Thin Section and Scanning Electron Microscopy summary photographs from plugs taken

Murphy's law-if anything can go wrong, it will: Problems in phage electron microscopy.

PubMed

Ackermann, Hans-W; Tiekotter, Kenneth L

2012-04-01

The quality of bacteriophage electron microscopy appears to be on a downward course since the 1980s. This coincides with the introduction of digital electron microscopes and a general lowering of standards, possibly due to the disappearance of several world-class electron microscopists The most important problem seems to be poor contrast. Positive staining is frequently not recognized as an undesirable artifact. Phage parts, bacterial debris, and aberrant or damaged phage particles may be misdiagnosed as bacterial viruses. Digital electron microscopes often seem to be operated without magnification control because this is difficult and inconvenient. In summary, most phage electron microscopy problems may be attributed to human failure. Journals are a last-ditch defense and have a heavy responsibility in selecting competent reviewers and rejecting, or not, unsatisfactory articles.

Pt 3Re alloy nanoparticles as electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

DOE PAGES

Raciti, David; Kubal, Joseph; Ma, Cheng; ...

2015-12-25

Development of renewable energy technologies requires advanced catalysts for efficient electrical-chemical energy conversion reactions. Here in this paper, we report the study of Pt-Re alloy nanoparticles as an electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). An organic solution approach is developed to synthesize monodisperse and homogeneous Pt 3Re alloy nanoparticles. Electrochemical studies show that these nanoparticles exhibit an improvement factor of 4 in catalytic activity for the ORR compared to commercial Pt catalysts of similar particle sizes. Fundamental understanding of the structure-property relationship is established by combining material characterization using X-ray spectroscopy and atomically resolved electron microscopy, as well asmore » Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. Lastly, our work revealed that an electronic modification of the surface properties of Pt by subsurface Re (ligand effect) accounts for the catalytic enhancement.« less

Development of ricehusk ash reinforced bismaleimide toughened epoxy nanocomposites.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

K, Kanimozhi; Sethuraman, K.; V, Selvaraj; Alagar, Muthukaruppan

2014-09-01

Abstract Recent past decades have witnessed remarkable advances in composites with potential applications in biomedical devices, aerospace, textiles, civil engineering, energy, electronic engineering, and household products. Thermoset polymer composites have further enhanced and broadened the area of applications of composites. In the present work epoxy-BMI toughened-silica hybrid (RHA/DGEBA-BMI) was prepared using bismaleimide as toughener, bisphenol-A as matrix and a silica precursor derived from rice husk ash as reinforcement with glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane as coupling agent. Differential scanning calorimetry, electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and goniometry were used to characterize RHA/DGEBA-BMI composites developed in the present work. Tensile, impact and flexural strength, tensile and flexural modulus, hardness, dielectric properties were also studied and discussed. The hybrid nanocomposites possess the higher values of the glass transition temperature (Tg) and mechanical properties than those of neat epoxy matrix.

Development of ricehusk ash reinforced bismaleimide toughened epoxy nanocomposites

PubMed Central

Kanimozhi, K.; Sethuraman, K.; Selvaraj, V.; Alagar, M.

2014-01-01

Recent past decades have witnessed remarkable advances in composites with potential applications in biomedical devices, aerospace, textiles, civil engineering, energy, electronic engineering, and household products. Thermoset polymer composites have further enhanced and broadened the area of applications of composites. In the present work epoxy-BMI toughened-silica hybrid (RHA/DGEBA-BMI) was prepared using bismaleimide as toughener, bisphenol-A as matrix and a silica precursor derived from rice husk ash as reinforcement with glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane as coupling agent. Differential scanning calorimetry, electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and goniometry were used to characterize RHA/DGEBA-BMI composites developed in the present work. Tensile, impact and flexural strength, tensile and flexural modulus, hardness, dielectric properties were also studied and discussed. The hybrid nanocomposites possess the higher values of the glass transition temperature (Tg) and mechanical properties than those of neat epoxy matrix. PMID:25279372

Memristors with diffusive dynamics as synaptic emulators for neuromorphic computing

DOE PAGES

Wang, Zhongrui; Joshi, Saumil; Savel’ev, Sergey E.; ...

2016-09-26

The accumulation and extrusion of Ca 2+ in the pre- and postsynaptic compartments play a critical role in initiating plastic changes in biological synapses. In order to emulate this fundamental process in electronic devices, we developed diffusive Ag-in-oxide memristors with a temporal response during and after stimulation similar to that of the synaptic Ca 2+ dynamics. In situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and nanoparticle dynamics simulations both demonstrate that Ag atoms disperse under electrical bias and regroup spontaneously under zero bias because of interfacial energy minimization, closely resembling synaptic influx and extrusion of Ca 2+, respectively. Furthermore, the diffusive memristormore » and its dynamics enable a direct emulation of both short- and long-term plasticity of biological synapses, representing an advance in hardware implementation of neuromorphic functionalities.« less

In situ TEM of radiation effects in complex ceramics.

PubMed

Lian, Jie; Wang, L M; Sun, Kai; Ewing, Rodney C

2009-03-01

In situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been extensively applied to study radiation effects in a wide variety of materials, such as metals, ceramics and semiconductors and is an indispensable tool in obtaining a fundamental understanding of energetic beam-matter interactions, damage events, and materials' behavior under intense radiation environments. In this article, in situ TEM observations of radiation effects in complex ceramics (e.g., oxides, silicates, and phosphates) subjected to energetic ion and electron irradiations have been summarized with a focus on irradiation-induced microstructural evolution, changes in microchemistry, and the formation of nanostructures. New results for in situ TEM observation of radiation effects in pyrochlore, A(2)B(2)O(7), and zircon, ZrSiO(4), subjected to multiple beam irradiations are presented, and the effects of simultaneous irradiations of alpha-decay and beta-decay on the microstructural evolution of potential nuclear waste forms are discussed. Furthermore, in situ TEM results of radiation effects in a sodium borosilicate glass subjected to electron-beam exposure are introduced to highlight the important applications of advanced analytical TEM techniques, including Z-contrast imaging, energy filtered TEM (EFTEM), and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), in studying radiation effects in materials microstructural evolution and microchemical changes. By combining ex situ TEM and advanced analytical TEM techniques with in situ TEM observations under energetic beam irradiations, one can obtain invaluable information on the phase stability and response behaviors of materials under a wide range of irradiation conditions. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

75 FR 34096 - Application(s) for Duty-Free Entry of Scientific Instruments

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-16

... dynamin, using negative stain nad cryo-electron microscopy methods. Justification for Duty-Free Entry..., using negative stain nad cryo-electron microscopy methods. Justification for Duty-Free Entry: There are...

The Electron Microscopy Outreach Program: A Web-based resource for research and education.

PubMed

Sosinsky, G E; Baker, T S; Hand, G; Ellisman, M H

1999-01-01

We have developed a centralized World Wide Web (WWW)-based environment that serves as a resource of software tools and expertise for biological electron microscopy. A major focus is molecular electron microscopy, but the site also includes information and links on structural biology at all levels of resolution. This site serves to help integrate or link structural biology techniques in accordance with user needs. The WWW site, called the Electron Microscopy (EM) Outreach Program (URL: http://emoutreach.sdsc.edu), provides scientists with computational and educational tools for their research and edification. In particular, we have set up a centralized resource containing course notes, references, and links to image analysis and three-dimensional reconstruction software for investigators wanting to learn about EM techniques either within or outside of their fields of expertise. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

A compilation of cold cases using scanning electron microscopy at the University of Rhode Island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Platek, Michael J.; Gregory, Otto J.

2015-10-01

Scanning electron microscopy combined with microchemical analysis has evolved into one of the most widely used instruments in forensic science today. In particular, the environmental scanning electron microscope (SEM) in conjunction with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), has created unique opportunities in forensic science in regard to the examination of trace evidence; i.e. the examination of evidence without altering the evidence with conductive coatings, thereby enabling criminalists to solve cases that were previously considered unsolvable. Two cold cases were solved at URI using a JEOL 5900 LV SEM in conjunction with EDS. A cold case murder and a cold missing person case will be presented from the viewpoint of the microscopist and will include sample preparation, as well as image and chemical analysis of the trace evidence using electron microscopy and optical microscopy.

The EIGER detector for low-energy electron microscopy and photoemission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Tinti, G; Marchetto, H; Vaz, C A F; Kleibert, A; Andrä, M; Barten, R; Bergamaschi, A; Brückner, M; Cartier, S; Dinapoli, R; Franz, T; Fröjdh, E; Greiffenberg, D; Lopez-Cuenca, C; Mezza, D; Mozzanica, A; Nolting, F; Ramilli, M; Redford, S; Ruat, M; Ruder, Ch; Schädler, L; Schmidt, Th; Schmitt, B; Schütz, F; Shi, X; Thattil, D; Vetter, S; Zhang, J

2017-09-01

EIGER is a single-photon-counting hybrid pixel detector developed at the Paul Scherrer Institut, Switzerland. It is designed for applications at synchrotron light sources with photon energies above 5 keV. Features of EIGER include a small pixel size (75 µm × 75 µm), a high frame rate (up to 23 kHz), a small dead-time between frames (down to 3 µs) and a dynamic range up to 32-bit. In this article, the use of EIGER as a detector for electrons in low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM) and photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) is reported. It is demonstrated that, with only a minimal modification to the sensitive part of the detector, EIGER is able to detect electrons emitted or reflected by the sample and accelerated to 8-20 keV. The imaging capabilities are shown to be superior to the standard microchannel plate detector for these types of applications. This is due to the much higher signal-to-noise ratio, better homogeneity and improved dynamic range. In addition, the operation of the EIGER detector is not affected by radiation damage from electrons in the present energy range and guarantees more stable performance over time. To benchmark the detector capabilities, LEEM experiments are performed on selected surfaces and the magnetic and electronic properties of individual iron nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 8 to 22 nm are detected using the PEEM endstation at the Surface/Interface Microscopy (SIM) beamline of the Swiss Light Source.

A review of cellphone microscopy for disease detection.

PubMed

Dendere, R; Myburg, N; Douglas, T S

2015-12-01

The expansion in global cellphone network coverage coupled with advances in cellphone imaging capabilities present an opportunity for the advancement of cellphone microscopy as a low-cost alternative to conventional microscopy for disease detection in resource-limited regions. The development of cellphone microscopy has also benefitted from the availability of low-cost miniature microscope components such as low-power light-emitting diodes and ball lenses. As a result, researchers are developing hardware and software techniques that would enable such microscopes to produce high-resolution, diagnostic-quality images. This approach may lead to more widespread delivery of diagnostic services in resource-limited areas where there is a shortage of the skilled labour required for conventional microscopy and where prevalence of infectious and other diseases is still high. In this paper, we review current techniques, clinical applications and challenges faced in the field of cellphone microscopy. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2015 Royal Microscopical Society.

Advanced fluorescence microscopy techniques for the life sciences

PubMed Central

Aguib, Yasmine; Yacoub, Magdi H.

The development of super-resolved fluorescence microscopy, for which the Nobel Prize was awarded in 2014, has been a topic of interest to physicists and biologists alike. It is inevitable that numerous questions in biomedical research cannot be answered by means other than direct observation. In this review, advances to fluorescence microscopy are covered in a widely accessible fashion to facilitate its use in decisions related to its acquisition and utilization in biomedical research. PMID:29043264

Atmospheric scanning electron microscope observes cells and tissues in open medium through silicon nitride film.

PubMed

Nishiyama, Hidetoshi; Suga, Mitsuo; Ogura, Toshihiko; Maruyama, Yuusuke; Koizumi, Mitsuru; Mio, Kazuhiro; Kitamura, Shinichi; Sato, Chikara

2010-03-01

Direct observation of subcellular structures and their characterization is essential for understanding their physiological functions. To observe them in open environment, we have developed an inverted scanning electron microscope with a detachable, open-culture dish, capable of 8 nm resolution, and combined with a fluorescence microscope quasi-simultaneously observing the same area from the top. For scanning electron microscopy from the bottom, a silicon nitride film window in the base of the dish maintains a vacuum between electron gun and open sample dish while allowing electrons to pass through. Electrons are backscattered from the sample and captured by a detector under the dish. Cells cultured on the open dish can be externally manipulated under optical microscopy, fixed, and observed using scanning electron microscopy. Once fine structures have been revealed by scanning electron microscopy, their component proteins may be identified by comparison with separately prepared fluorescence-labeled optical microscopic images of the candidate proteins, with their heavy-metal-labeled or stained ASEM images. Furthermore, cell nuclei in a tissue block stained with platinum-blue were successfully observed without thin-sectioning, which suggests the applicability of this inverted scanning electron microscope to cancer diagnosis. This microscope visualizes mesoscopic-scale structures, and is also applicable to non-bioscience fields including polymer chemistry. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microstructure Evolution and Mechanical Behavior of 2219 Aluminum Alloys Additively Fabricated by the Cold Metal Transfer Process

PubMed Central

Fang, Xuewei; Li, Hui; Li, Chaolong; Lu, Bingheng

2018-01-01

In this research, four different welding arc modes including conventional cold metal transfer (CMT), CMT-Pulse (CMT-P), CMT-Advanced (CMT-ADV), and CMT pulse advanced (CMT-PADV) were used to deposit 2219-Al wire. The effects of different arc modes on porosity, pore size distribution, microstructure evolution, and mechanical properties were thoroughly investigated. The statistical analysis of the porosity and its size distribution indicated that the CMT-PADV process gave the smallest pore area percentage and pore aspect ratio, and had almost no larger pores. The results from optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and fractographic morphology proved that uniform and fine equiaxed grains, evenly distributed Al2Cu second phase particles were formed during the CMT-PADV process. Furthermore, the X-ray diffraction test ascertained that the CMT-PADV sample had the smallest lattice parameter and the highest solute Cu content. Besides, the tensile strength could reach 283 MPa, the data scattering was the smallest, and the strength scattering of the sample in the horizontal direction was the shortest. In addition, the strength properties were nearly isotropic, with only 5 MPa difference in the vertical and horizontal directions. The above mentioned results indicated that the mechanical properties of 2219 aluminum alloy was improved using the CMT-PADV arc mode. PMID:29772708

Analyzing the dynamics of cell cycle processes from fixed samples through ergodic principles

PubMed Central

Wheeler, Richard John

2015-01-01

Tools to analyze cyclical cellular processes, particularly the cell cycle, are of broad value for cell biology. Cell cycle synchronization and live-cell time-lapse observation are widely used to analyze these processes but are not available for many systems. Simple mathematical methods built on the ergodic principle are a well-established, widely applicable, and powerful alternative analysis approach, although they are less widely used. These methods extract data about the dynamics of a cyclical process from a single time-point “snapshot” of a population of cells progressing through the cycle asynchronously. Here, I demonstrate application of these simple mathematical methods to analysis of basic cyclical processes—cycles including a division event, cell populations undergoing unicellular aging, and cell cycles with multiple fission (schizogony)—as well as recent advances that allow detailed mapping of the cell cycle from continuously changing properties of the cell such as size and DNA content. This includes examples using existing data from mammalian, yeast, and unicellular eukaryotic parasite cell biology. Through the ongoing advances in high-throughput cell analysis by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and flow cytometry, these mathematical methods are becoming ever more important and are a powerful complementary method to traditional synchronization and time-lapse cell cycle analysis methods. PMID:26543196

Microstructure Evolution and Mechanical Behavior of 2219 Aluminum Alloys Additively Fabricated by the Cold Metal Transfer Process.

PubMed

Fang, Xuewei; Zhang, Lijuan; Li, Hui; Li, Chaolong; Huang, Ke; Lu, Bingheng

2018-05-16

In this research, four different welding arc modes including conventional cold metal transfer (CMT), CMT-Pulse (CMT-P), CMT-Advanced (CMT-ADV), and CMT pulse advanced (CMT-PADV) were used to deposit 2219-Al wire. The effects of different arc modes on porosity, pore size distribution, microstructure evolution, and mechanical properties were thoroughly investigated. The statistical analysis of the porosity and its size distribution indicated that the CMT-PADV process gave the smallest pore area percentage and pore aspect ratio, and had almost no larger pores. The results from optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and fractographic morphology proved that uniform and fine equiaxed grains, evenly distributed Al₂Cu second phase particles were formed during the CMT-PADV process. Furthermore, the X-ray diffraction test ascertained that the CMT-PADV sample had the smallest lattice parameter and the highest solute Cu content. Besides, the tensile strength could reach 283 MPa, the data scattering was the smallest, and the strength scattering of the sample in the horizontal direction was the shortest. In addition, the strength properties were nearly isotropic, with only 5 MPa difference in the vertical and horizontal directions. The above mentioned results indicated that the mechanical properties of 2219 aluminum alloy was improved using the CMT-PADV arc mode.

Advanced Cu chemical displacement technique for SiO2-based electrochemical metallization ReRAM application.

PubMed

Chin, Fun-Tat; Lin, Yu-Hsien; You, Hsin-Chiang; Yang, Wen-Luh; Lin, Li-Min; Hsiao, Yu-Ping; Ko, Chum-Min; Chao, Tien-Sheng

2014-01-01

This study investigates an advanced copper (Cu) chemical displacement technique (CDT) with varying the chemical displacement time for fabricating Cu/SiO2-stacked resistive random-access memory (ReRAM). Compared with other Cu deposition methods, this CDT easily controls the interface of the Cu-insulator, the switching layer thickness, and the immunity of the Cu etching process, assisting the 1-transistor-1-ReRAM (1T-1R) structure and system-on-chip integration. The modulated shape of the Cu-SiO2 interface and the thickness of the SiO2 layer obtained by CDT-based Cu deposition on SiO2 were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The CDT-fabricated Cu/SiO2-stacked ReRAM exhibited lower operation voltages and more stable data retention characteristics than the control Cu/SiO2-stacked sample. As the Cu CDT processing time increased, the forming and set voltages of the CDT-fabricated Cu/SiO2-stacked ReRAM decreased. Conversely, decreasing the processing time reduced the on-state current and reset voltage while increasing the endurance switching cycle time. Therefore, the switching characteristics were easily modulated by Cu CDT, yielding a high performance electrochemical metallization (ECM)-type ReRAM.

Room temperature chemical synthesis of lead selenide thin films with preferred orientation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kale, R. B.; Sartale, S. D.; Ganesan, V.; Lokhande, C. D.; Lin, Yi-Feng; Lu, Shih-Yuan

2006-11-01

Room temperature chemical synthesis of PbSe thin films was carried out from aqueous ammoniacal solution using Pb(CH3COO)2 as Pb2+ and Na2SeSO3 as Se2- ion sources. The films were characterized by a various techniques including, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), Fast Fourier transform (FFT) and UV-vis-NIR techniques. The study revealed that the PbSe thin film consists of preferentially oriented nanocubes with energy band gap of 0.5 eV.

Imaging of high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy and observations of GaN-based violet laser diodes.

PubMed

Shiojiri, M; Saijo, H

2006-09-01

The first part of this paper is devoted to physics, to explain high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) imaging and to interpret why HAADF-STEM imaging is incoherent, instructing a strict definition of interference and coherence of electron waves. Next, we present our recent investigations of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells and AlGaN/GaN strained-layer superlattice claddings in GaN-based violet laser diodes, which have been performed by HAADF-STEM and high-resolution field-emission gun scanning electron microscopy.

Application of He ion microscopy for material analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altmann, F.; Simon, M.; Klengel, R.

2009-05-01

Helium ion beam microscopy (HIM) is a new high resolution imaging technique. The use of Helium ions instead of electrons enables none destructive imaging combined with contrasts quite similar to that from Gallium ion beam imaging. The use of very low probe currents and the comfortable charge compensation using low energy electrons offer imaging of none conductive samples without conductive coating. An ongoing microelectronic sample with Gold/Aluminum interconnects and polymer electronic devices were chosen to evaluate HIM in comparison to scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The aim was to look for key applications of HIM in material analysis. Main focus was on complementary contrast mechanisms and imaging of none conductive samples.

Catalytic chemical vapor deposition synthesis and electron microscopy observation of coiled carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Jining; Mukhopadyay, K.; Yadev, J.; Varadan, V. K.

2003-10-01

Coiled carbon nanotubes exhibit excellent mechanical and electrical properties because of the combination of coil morphology and properties of nanotubes. They could have potential novel applications in nanocomposites and nano-electronic devices as well as nano-electromechanical systems. In this work, synthesis of regularly coiled carbon nanotubes is presented. It involves pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gas over metal/support catalyst by both thermal filament and microwave catalytic chemical vapor deposition methods. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were performed to observe the coil morphology and nanostructure of coiled nanotubes. The growth mechanism and structural and electrical properties of coiled carbon nanotubes are also discussed.

Use of light, scanning electron microscopy and bioassays to evaluate parasitism by entomopathogenic fungi of the red scale insect of palms (Phoenicococcus marlatti Ckll., 1899).

PubMed

Asensio, L; Lopez-Llorca, L V; López-Jiménez, J A

2005-01-01

We have evaluated the parasitism of the red scale insect of the date palm (Phoenicococcus marlatti) by entomopathogenic fungi, using light microscopy (LM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and low temperature scanning electron microscopy (LTSEM). Beauveria bassiana, Lecanicillium dimorphum and Lecanicillium cf. psalliotae, were inoculated directly on the scale insects or on insect infested plant material. We found that L. dimorphum and L. cf. psalliotae developed on plant material and on scale insects, making infection structures. B. bassiana was a bad colonizer of date palm leaves (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and did not parasite the scale insects.

Airborne asbestos in Colorado public schools.

PubMed

Chadwick, D A; Buchan, R M; Beaulieu, H J

1985-02-01

Levels of airborne asbestos for six Colorado public school facilities with sprayed-on asbestos materials were documented using three analytical techniques. Phase contrast microscopy showed levels up to the thousandths of a fiber per cubic centimeter (f/cc), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) up to the hundredths of a f/cc, and transmission electron microscopy coupled to selected area electron diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (TEM-SAED-EDXA) up to the tenths of an asbestos f/cc. Phase contrast microscopy was found to be an inadequate analytical technique for documenting the levels of airborne asbestos fibers in the schools: only large fibers which were not embedded in the filter were counted, and asbestos fibers were not distinguished from nonasbestos.

Further description of Cruzia tentaculata (Rudolphi, 1819) Travassos, 1917 (Nematoda: Cruzidae) by light and scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Adnet, F A O; Anjos, D H S; Menezes-Oliveira, A; Lanfredi, R M

2009-04-01

Species of Cruzia are parasites of the large intestine of marsupials, reptiles, amphibians, and mammalians. Cruzia tentaculata specimens were collected from the large intestine of Didelphis marsupialis (Mammalia: Didelphidae) from Colombia (new geographical record) and from Brazil and analyzed by light and scanning electron microscopy. The morphology of males and females by light microscopy corroborated most of the previous description and the ultrastructure by scanning electron microscopy evidence: the topography of the cuticle, deirids, amphids, phasmids in both sexes, a pair of papillae near the vulva opening, and the number and location of male caudal papillae, adding new features for species identification only observed by this technique.

Exposure to nanoscale particles and fibers during machining of hybrid advanced composites containing carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bello, Dhimiter; Wardle, Brian L.; Yamamoto, Namiko; Guzman deVilloria, Roberto; Garcia, Enrique J.; Hart, Anastasios J.; Ahn, Kwangseog; Ellenbecker, Michael J.; Hallock, Marilyn

2009-01-01

This study investigated airborne exposures to nanoscale particles and fibers generated during dry and wet abrasive machining of two three-phase advanced composite systems containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs), micron-diameter continuous fibers (carbon or alumina), and thermoset polymer matrices. Exposures were evaluated with a suite of complementary instruments, including real-time particle number concentration and size distribution (0.005-20 μm), electron microscopy, and integrated sampling for fibers and respirable particulate at the source and breathing zone of the operator. Wet cutting, the usual procedure for such composites, did not produce exposures significantly different than background whereas dry cutting, without any emissions controls, provided a worst-case exposure and this article focuses here. Overall particle release levels, peaks in the size distribution of the particles, and surface area of released particles (including size distribution) were not significantly different for composites with and without CNTs. The majority of released particle surface area originated from the respirable (1-10 μm) fraction, whereas the nano fraction contributed 10% of the surface area. CNTs, either individual or in bundles, were not observed in extensive electron microscopy of collected samples. The mean number concentration of peaks for dry cutting was composite dependent and varied over an order of magnitude with highest values for thicker laminates at the source being >1 × 106 particles cm-3. Concentration of respirable fibers for dry cutting at the source ranged from 2 to 4 fibers cm-3 depending on the composite type. Further investigation is required and underway to determine the effects of various exposure determinants, such as specimen and tool geometry, on particle release and effectiveness of controls.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Graetz J.; Meng, Y.S.; McGilvray, T.

Oxides and their tailored structures are at the heart of electrochemical energy storage technologies and advances in understanding and controlling the dynamic behaviors in the complex oxides, particularly at the interfaces, during electrochemical processes will catalyze creative design concepts for new materials with enhanced and better-understood properties. Such knowledge is not accessible without new analytical tools. New innovative experimental techniques are needed for understanding the chemistry and structure of the bulk and interfaces, more importantly how they change with electrochemical processes in situ. Analytical Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) is used extensively to study electrode materials ex situ and is onemore » of the most powerful tools to obtain structural, morphological, and compositional information at nanometer scale by combining imaging, diffraction and spectroscopy, e.g., EDS (energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry) and Electron Energy Loss Spectrometry (EELS). Determining the composition/structure evolution upon electrochemical cycling at the bulk and interfaces can be addressed by new electron microscopy technique with which one can observe, at the nanometer scale and in situ, the dynamic phenomena in the electrode materials. In electrochemical systems, for instance in a lithium ion battery (LIB), materials operate under conditions that are far from equilibrium, so that the materials studied ex situ may not capture the processes that occur in situ in a working battery. In situ electrochemical operation in the ultra-high vacuum column of a TEM has been pursued by two major strategies. In one strategy, a 'nano-battery' can be fabricated from an all-solid-state thin film battery using a focused ion beam (FIB). The electrolyte is either polymer based or ceramic based without any liquid component. As shown in Fig. 1a, the interfaces between the active electrode material/electrolyte can be clearly observed with TEM imaging, in contrast to the composite electrodes/electrolyte interfaces in conventional lithium ion batteries, depicted in Fig.1b, where quantitative interface characterization is extremely difficult if not impossible. A second strategy involves organic electrolyte, though this approach more closely resembles the actual operation conditions of a LIB, the extreme volatility In Situ Analytical Electron Microscopy for Probing Nanoscale Electrochemistry by Ying Shirley Meng, Thomas McGilvray, Ming-Che Yang, Danijel Gostovic, Feng Wang, Dongli Zeng, Yimei Zhu, and Jason Graetz of the organic electrolytes present significant challenges for designing an in situ cell that is suitable for the vacuum environment of the TEM. Significant progress has been made in the past few years on the development of in situ electron microscopy for probing nanoscale electrochemistry. In 2008, Brazier et al. reported the first cross-section observation of an all solid-state lithium ion nano-battery by TEM. In this study the FIB was used to make a 'nano-battery,' from an all solid-state battery prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). In situ TEM observations were not possible at that time due to several key challenges such as the lack of a suitable biasing sample holder and vacuum transfer of sample. In 2010, Yamamoto et al. successfully observed changes of electric potential in an all-solid-state lithium ion battery in situ with electron holography (EH). The 2D potential distribution resulting from movement of lithium ions near the positive-electrode/electrolyte interface was quantified. More recently Huang et al. and Wang et al. reported the in situ observations of the electrochemical lithiation of a single SnO{sub 2} nanowire electrode in two different in situ setups. In their approach, a vacuum compatible ionic liquid is used as the electrolyte, eliminating the need for complicated membrane sealing to prevent the evaporation of carbonate based organic electrolyte into the TEM column. One main limitation of this approach is that EELS spectral imaging is not possible due to the high plasmon signal of the ionic liquid. To this end, we have developed a novel in situ instrumental system combining analytical electron microscopy with advanced spectroscopy to probe the dynamic phenomena in an all solid-state nano-battery. In situ electron microscopy is a versatile technique that yields insights into challenging questions that could not be obtained using other techniques. However, in order to fully exploit the capabilities, a very carefully thought-out plan of action is essential. It is important to recognize that this is not just a simple characterization tool, but a collection of tools that make up a complete experimental set-up: the choice of FIB operation conditions, specimen holder for biasing, grid materials and design as well as microscope environment must be thoroughly considered before performing an experiment.« less

TEM-EELS Investigation of Boron and Phosphorus Passivated 4H-SiC/SiO2 Interface Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klingshirn, Christopher; Taillon, Joshua; Liu, Gang; Dhar, Sarit; Feldman, Leonard; Zheleva, Tsvetanka; Lelis, Aivars; Salamanca-Riba, Lourdes

A high density of electronic defects at the SiC/SiO2 interface adversely affects SiC-based metal oxide semiconductor devices. Various treatments are known to improve device performance. Annealing in a nitric oxide (NO) environment, for example, passivates electronic defects at the interface and raises the carrier mobility in the active region to 35-40 cm2/Vs, but the effect saturates after about 60 minutes of annealing. Passivation with phosphorus or boron improves upon NO by a factor of 2, increasing the mobility to over 90 cm2/Vs.2 We investigate the chemical and structural effects of these treatments on the SiC/SiO2 transition layer using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and high angle annular dark field (HAADF). Electron energy loss spectroscopy Spectrum Imaging (EELS SI) collected across the transition region allow identification of the width, composition and types of bonding at the transition layer. Advanced machine learning techniques applied to the EELS data reveal intermediate bonding states within this region. Supported by ARL under Grant No. W911NF1420110.

Differential Electrochemical Conductance Imaging at the Nanoscale.

PubMed

López-Martínez, Montserrat; Artés, Juan Manuel; Sarasso, Veronica; Carminati, Marco; Díez-Pérez, Ismael; Sanz, Fausto; Gorostiza, Pau

2017-09-01

Electron transfer in proteins is essential in crucial biological processes. Although the fundamental aspects of biological electron transfer are well characterized, currently there are no experimental tools to determine the atomic-scale electronic pathways in redox proteins, and thus to fully understand their outstanding efficiency and environmental adaptability. This knowledge is also required to design and optimize biomolecular electronic devices. In order to measure the local conductance of an electrode surface immersed in an electrolyte, this study builds upon the current-potential spectroscopic capacity of electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy, by adding an alternating current modulation technique. With this setup, spatially resolved, differential electrochemical conductance images under bipotentiostatic control are recorded. Differential electrochemical conductance imaging allows visualizing the reversible oxidation of an iron electrode in borate buffer and individual azurin proteins immobilized on atomically flat gold surfaces. In particular, this method reveals submolecular regions with high conductance within the protein. The direct observation of nanoscale conduction pathways in redox proteins and complexes enables important advances in biochemistry and bionanotechnology. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Direct Determination of Atomic Structure and Magnetic Coupling of Magnetite Twin Boundaries.

PubMed

Chen, Chunlin; Li, Hongping; Seki, Takehito; Yin, Deqiang; Sanchez-Santolino, Gabriel; Inoue, Kazutoshi; Shibata, Naoya; Ikuhara, Yuichi

2018-03-27

Clarifying how the atomic structure of interfaces/boundaries in materials affects the magnetic coupling nature across them is of significant academic value and will facilitate the development of state-of-the-art magnetic devices. Here, by combining atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy, atomistic spin-polarized first-principles calculations, and differential phase contrast imaging, we conduct a systematic investigation of the atomic and electronic structures of individual Fe 3 O 4 twin boundaries (TBs) and determine their concomitant magnetic couplings. We demonstrate that the magnetic coupling across the Fe 3 O 4 TBs can be either antiferromagnetic or ferromagnetic, which directly depends on the TB atomic core structures and resultant electronic structures within a few atomic layers. Revealing the one-to-one correspondence between local atomic structures and magnetic properties of individual grain boundaries will shed light on in-depth understanding of many interesting magnetic behaviors of widely used polycrystalline magnetic materials, which will surely promote the development of advanced magnetic materials and devices.

Radiative properties of advanced spacecraft heat shield materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cunnington, G. R.; Funai, A. I.; Mcnab, T. K.

1983-01-01

Experimental results are presented to show the effects of simulated reentry exposure by convective heating and by radiant heating on spectral and total emittance of statically oxidized Inconel 617 and Haynes HS188 superalloys to 1260 K and a silicide coatea (R512E) columbium 752 alloy to 1590 K. Convective heating exposures were conducted in a supersonic arc plasma wind tunnel using a wedge-shaped specimen configuration. Radiant tests were conducted at a pressure of .003 atmospheres of dry air at a flow velocity of several meters per second. Convective heating specimens were subjected to 8, 20, and 38 15-min heating cycles, and radiant heating specimens were tested for 10, 20, 50, and 100 30-min heating cycles. Changes in radiative properties are explained in terms of changes in composition resulting from simulated reentry tests. The methods used to evaluate morphological, compositional and crystallographic changes include: Auger electron spectroscopy; scanning electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction analysis; and electron microprobe analysis.

Pulse EPR distance measurements to study multimers and multimerisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ackermann, Katrin; Bode, Bela E.

2018-06-01

Pulse dipolar electron paramagnetic resonance (PD-EPR) has become a powerful tool for structural biology determining distances on the nanometre scale. Recent advances in hardware, methodology, and data analysis have widened the scope to complex biological systems. PD-EPR can be applied to systems containing lowly populated conformers or displaying large intrinsic flexibility, making them all but intractable for cryo-electron microscopy and crystallography. Membrane protein applications are of particular interest due to the intrinsic difficulties for obtaining high-resolution structures of all relevant conformations. Many drug targets involved in critical cell functions are multimeric channels or transporters. Here, common approaches for introducing spin labels for PD-EPR cause the presence of more than two electron spins per multimeric complex. This requires careful experimental design to overcome detrimental multi-spin effects and to secure sufficient distance resolution in presence of multiple distances. In addition to obtaining mere distances, PD-EPR can also provide information on multimerisation degrees allowing to study binding equilibria and to determine dissociation constants.

Inexpensive electronics and software for photon statistics and correlation spectroscopy.

PubMed

Gamari, Benjamin D; Zhang, Dianwen; Buckman, Richard E; Milas, Peker; Denker, John S; Chen, Hui; Li, Hongmin; Goldner, Lori S

2014-07-01

Single-molecule-sensitive microscopy and spectroscopy are transforming biophysics and materials science laboratories. Techniques such as fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and single-molecule sensitive fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) are now commonly available in research laboratories but are as yet infrequently available in teaching laboratories. We describe inexpensive electronics and open-source software that bridges this gap, making state-of-the-art research capabilities accessible to undergraduates interested in biophysics. We include a discussion of the intensity correlation function relevant to FCS and how it can be determined from photon arrival times. We demonstrate the system with a measurement of the hydrodynamic radius of a protein using FCS that is suitable for the undergraduate teaching laboratory. The FPGA-based electronics, which are easy to construct, are suitable for more advanced measurements as well, and several applications are described. As implemented, the system has 8 ns timing resolution, can control up to four laser sources, and can collect information from as many as four photon-counting detectors.

Inexpensive electronics and software for photon statistics and correlation spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Gamari, Benjamin D.; Zhang, Dianwen; Buckman, Richard E.; Milas, Peker; Denker, John S.; Chen, Hui; Li, Hongmin; Goldner, Lori S.

2016-01-01

Single-molecule-sensitive microscopy and spectroscopy are transforming biophysics and materials science laboratories. Techniques such as fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and single-molecule sensitive fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) are now commonly available in research laboratories but are as yet infrequently available in teaching laboratories. We describe inexpensive electronics and open-source software that bridges this gap, making state-of-the-art research capabilities accessible to undergraduates interested in biophysics. We include a discussion of the intensity correlation function relevant to FCS and how it can be determined from photon arrival times. We demonstrate the system with a measurement of the hydrodynamic radius of a protein using FCS that is suitable for the undergraduate teaching laboratory. The FPGA-based electronics, which are easy to construct, are suitable for more advanced measurements as well, and several applications are described. As implemented, the system has 8 ns timing resolution, can control up to four laser sources, and can collect information from as many as four photon-counting detectors. PMID:26924846

Evidence of tetragonal distortion as the origin of the ferromagnetic ground state in γ -Fe nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Augustyns, V.; van Stiphout, K.; Joly, V.; Lima, T. A. L.; Lippertz, G.; Trekels, M.; Menéndez, E.; Kremer, F.; Wahl, U.; Costa, A. R. G.; Correia, J. G.; Banerjee, D.; Gunnlaugsson, H. P.; von Bardeleben, J.; Vickridge, I.; Van Bael, M. J.; Hadermann, J.; Araújo, J. P.; Temst, K.; Vantomme, A.; Pereira, L. M. C.

2017-11-01

γ -Fe and related alloys are model systems of the coupling between structure and magnetism in solids. Since different electronic states (with different volumes and magnetic ordering states) are closely spaced in energy, small perturbations can alter which one is the actual ground state. Here, we demonstrate that the ferromagnetic state of γ -Fe nanoparticles is associated with a tetragonal distortion of the fcc structure. Combining a wide range of complementary experimental techniques, including low-temperature Mössbauer spectroscopy, advanced transmission electron microscopy, and synchrotron radiation techniques, we unambiguously identify the tetragonally distorted ferromagnetic ground state, with lattice parameters a =3.76 (2 )Å and c =3.50 (2 )Å , and a magnetic moment of 2.45(5) μB per Fe atom. Our findings indicate that the ferromagnetic order in nanostructured γ -Fe is generally associated with a tetragonal distortion. This observation motivates a theoretical reassessment of the electronic structure of γ -Fe taking tetragonal distortion into account.

Beam-induced motion correction for sub-megadalton cryo-EM particles.

PubMed

Scheres, Sjors Hw

2014-08-13

In electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM), the electron beam that is used for imaging also causes the sample to move. This motion blurs the images and limits the resolution attainable by single-particle analysis. In a previous Research article (Bai et al., 2013) we showed that correcting for this motion by processing movies from fast direct-electron detectors allowed structure determination to near-atomic resolution from 35,000 ribosome particles. In this Research advance article, we show that an improved movie processing algorithm is applicable to a much wider range of specimens. The new algorithm estimates straight movement tracks by considering multiple particles that are close to each other in the field of view, and models the fall-off of high-resolution information content by radiation damage in a dose-dependent manner. Application of the new algorithm to four data sets illustrates its potential for significantly improving cryo-EM structures, even for particles that are smaller than 200 kDa. Copyright © 2014, Scheres.

Energy-filtered TEM imaging and EELS study of ODS particles and argon-filled cavities in ferritic-martensitic steels.

PubMed

Klimiankou, M; Lindau, R; Möslang, A

2005-01-01

Oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS) ferritic-martensitic steels with yttrium oxide (Y(2)O(3)) have been produced by mechanical alloying and hot isostatic pressing for use as advanced material in fusion power reactors. Argon gas, usually widely used as inert gas during mechanical alloying, was surprisingly detected in the nanodispersion-strengthened materials. Energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) led to the following results: (i) chemical composition of ODS particles, (ii) voids with typical diameters of 1-6 nm are formed in the matrix, (iii) these voids are filled with Ar gas, and (iv) the high-density nanosized ODS particles serve as trapping centers for the Ar bubbles. The Ar L(3,2) energy loss edge at 245 eV as well as the absorption features of the ODS particle elements were identified in the EELS spectrum. The energy resolution in the EEL spectrum of about 1.0 eV allows to identify the electronic structure of the ODS particles.

Atomic Resolution Cryo-EM Structure of β-Galactosidase.

PubMed

Bartesaghi, Alberto; Aguerrebere, Cecilia; Falconieri, Veronica; Banerjee, Soojay; Earl, Lesley A; Zhu, Xing; Grigorieff, Nikolaus; Milne, Jacqueline L S; Sapiro, Guillermo; Wu, Xiongwu; Subramaniam, Sriram

2018-05-10

The advent of direct electron detectors has enabled the routine use of single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (EM) approaches to determine structures of a variety of protein complexes at near-atomic resolution. Here, we report the development of methods to account for local variations in defocus and beam-induced drift, and the implementation of a data-driven dose compensation scheme that significantly improves the extraction of high-resolution information recorded during exposure of the specimen to the electron beam. These advances enable determination of a cryo-EM density map for β-galactosidase bound to the inhibitor phenylethyl β-D-thiogalactopyranoside where the ordered regions are resolved at a level of detail seen in X-ray maps at ∼ 1.5 Å resolution. Using this density map in conjunction with constrained molecular dynamics simulations provides a measure of the local flexibility of the non-covalently bound inhibitor and offers further opportunities for structure-guided inhibitor design. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Strategies for Multi-Modal Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hexemer, Alexander; Wang, Cheng; Pandolfi, Ronald; Kumar, Dinesh; Venkatakrishnan, Singanallur; Sethian, James; Camera Team

This section on soft materials will be dedicated to discuss the extraction of the chemical distribution and spatial arrangement of constituent elements and functional groups at multiple length scales and, thus, the examination of collective dynamics, transport, and electronic ordering phenomena. Traditional measures of structure in soft materials have relied heavily on scattering and imaging based techniques due to their capacity to measure nanoscale dimensions and their capacity to monitor structure under conditions of dynamic stress loading. Special attentions are planned to focus on the application of resonant x-ray scattering, contrast-varied neutron scattering, analytical transmission electron microscopy, and their combinations. This session aims to bring experts in both scattering and electron microscope fields to discuss recent advances in selectively characterizing structural architectures of complex soft materials, which have often multi-components with a wide range of length scales and multiple functionalities, and thus hopes to foster novel ideas to decipher a higher level of structural complexity in soft materials in future. CAMERA, Early Career Award.

Magnetism of epitaxial Tb films on W(110) studied by spin-polarized low-energy electron microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prieto, J. E.; Chen, Gong; Schmid, A. K.; de la Figuera, J.

2016-11-01

Thin epitaxial films of Tb metal were grown on a clean W(110) substrate in ultrahigh vacuum and studied in situ by low-energy electron microscopy. Annealed films present magnetic contrast in spin-polarized low-energy electron microscopy. The energy dependence of the electron reflectivity was determined and a maximum value of its spin asymmetry of about 1% was measured. The magnetization direction of the Tb films is in-plane. Upon raising the temperature, no change in the domain distribution is observed, while the asymmetry in the electron reflectivity decreases when approaching the critical temperature, following a power law ˜(1-T /TC) β with a critical exponent β of 0.39.

Development of Thin Films as Potential Structural Cathodes to Enable Multifunctional Energy-Storage Structural Composite Batteries for the U.S. Army’s Future Force

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

glancing angle X - ray diffraction (GAXRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical...Emission SEM FWHM full width at half maximum GAXRD glancing angle X - ray diffraction H3COCH2CH2OH 2-methoxyethanol LiMn2O4 lithium manganese oxide...were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X - ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). In addition,

Realistic representation of Bacillus subtilis biofilms architecture using combined microscopy (CLSM, ESEM and FESEM).

PubMed

Bridier, A; Meylheuc, T; Briandet, R

2013-05-01

In this contribution, we used a set of microscopic techniques including confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) to analyze the three-dimensional spatial arrangement of cells and their surrounding matrix in Bacillus subtilis biofilm. The combination of the different techniques enabled a deeper and realistic deciphering of biofilm architecture by providing the opportunity to overcome the limits of each single technique. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fingerprint-Based Structure Retrieval Using Electron Density

PubMed Central

Yin, Shuangye; Dokholyan, Nikolay V.

2010-01-01

We present a computational approach that can quickly search a large protein structural database to identify structures that fit a given electron density, such as determined by cryo-electron microscopy. We use geometric invariants (fingerprints) constructed using 3D Zernike moments to describe the electron density, and reduce the problem of fitting of the structure to the electron density to simple fingerprint comparison. Using this approach, we are able to screen the entire Protein Data Bank and identify structures that fit two experimental electron densities determined by cryo-electron microscopy. PMID:21287628

Fingerprint-based structure retrieval using electron density.

PubMed

Yin, Shuangye; Dokholyan, Nikolay V

2011-03-01

We present a computational approach that can quickly search a large protein structural database to identify structures that fit a given electron density, such as determined by cryo-electron microscopy. We use geometric invariants (fingerprints) constructed using 3D Zernike moments to describe the electron density, and reduce the problem of fitting of the structure to the electron density to simple fingerprint comparison. Using this approach, we are able to screen the entire Protein Data Bank and identify structures that fit two experimental electron densities determined by cryo-electron microscopy. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.