Image from a transmission electron microscope
Infrastructure_

Transmission electron microscopy

Capabilities for internal composition analysis
Our experts will help you navigate our wide range of transmission electron microscopes to ensure you optimise the techniques required to answer your research question.

Our facilities

This new high-resolution TEM has been installed at our Sydney Nano Hub lab.

System specifications:

  • 60-300 kV
  • 3 condensor lenses
  • X-FEG high brightness gun
  • Monochromator
  • SuperX-EDS (quad) detector system
  • Ceta CMOS camera
  • S-TWIN (+/-40° α, +/-30° β)
  • 4k x 4k STEM imaging
  • TEM information limit @ 300 kV: ≤ 1Å
  • STEM point resolution @ 300 kV: ≤ 1.36Å

Specialist: Dr Magnus Garbrecht (magnus.garbrecht@sydney.edu.au)

This microscope which is located at the Sydney Nanoscience Hub allows for combined high spatial and spectral analysis of materials via atomically resolved imaging and elemental mapping with energy-dispersive X-ray and electron-energy loss spectroscopies at a range of voltages.

  • High stability environmental enclosure
  • X-FEG high-brightness gun
  • Monochromator
  • Probe DCOR+ Corrector (point resolution <0.6Å)
  • Image DCOR+ Corrector (information limit <0.6Å)
  • ChemiSTEM (Super-X) EDS detectors
  • Gatan Quantum ER/965 GIF (<0.14 eV (1s))
  • Dual EELS + Ultrafast shutter system (1000spectra/s)
  • Ceta 16M camera
  • Lorentz lens
  • 60,120,200,300 kV
  • Single- and low-background double-tilt-, Tomography-, and combined in-situheating/biasing holders

Specialist: Dr Magnus Garbrecht (magnus.garbrecht@sydney.edu.au)

The Thermo Glacios is a 200kV dedicated cryo-electron microscope. Fitted with a field emission gun and a Falcon3 direct electron detector it can produce micrographs suitable for high-resolution single particle analysis. Eleven grids can be loaded into the instrument at a time via the autoloader, allowing rapid grid screening.
System specifications:
- 200kV FEG source
- Falcon3 DED + Ceta 16M CMOS camera
- Autoloader system
- Single-axis stage tilting for tomography capability
- EPU software for single particle analysis
- SerialEM for tomography  

Specialists (Bio): 
Dr Errin Johnson  (errin johnson@sydney.edu.au)
Bhanu Mantri (bhanu.mantri@sydney.edu.au)

The JEOL 2200FS is one of the latest 200 kV field emission gun TEMs from JEOL. It provides a high coherence, high-current beam with a narrow energy spread and a current of 0.5 nA in a 1 nm probe. An advanced EDS and STEM system permits point, line scan and area mapping with X-rays and various electron signals. The built-in Omega filter enables energy-filtered imaging and energy loss spectroscopy.

  • Point resolution of 0.23 nm
  • Lattice resolution of 0.1 nm
  • Omega filter for EELS/EFTEM
  • EELS resolution of 0.8 eV
  • Gatan Ultrascan 2 k x 2 k camera
  • STEM using BF (energy-filtered), HAADF and X-ray signals
  • Tomography and in-situ heating capabilities built-in
  • Hollow cone dark field imaging

Specialist: Dr Hongwei Liu (hongwei.liu@sydney.edu.au)

This 200 kV instrument is configured with a cryo-polepiece, specifically designed for cryo-microscopy and cryo-tomography TEM to high tilts. It uses a high brightness LaB6 electron source. A range of specialized cryo- and tomography holders enable 3-D imaging (tomography) of plunge frozen sections. Gatan large-area and high-resolution cameras are fitted. The instrument is also a useful platform for room temperature 2-D/3-D imaging of thick biological sections and materials specimens.

  • Point resolution of 0.27 nm
  • Lattice resolution of 0.14 nm
  • Gatan Erlangshen (1.35 k x 1.08 k) and Ultrascan (2 k x 2 k) cameras
  • Tomography, in-situ heating, deformation capabilities built-in
  • Tilt angles up to ±80°
  • Gatan cryo, cryo-tomography and double-tilt tomography holders

Specialists: 

Dr Hongwei Liu (hongwei.liu@sydney.edu.au)
Dr Takanori Sato (takanori.sato@sydney.edu.au)

This 120 kV TEM is a general purpose TEM for routine biological and materials characterisation. It has a high brightness LaB6 electron source and an easy-to-use interface. A Gatan large-area camera is fitted, enabling effortless imaging. A STEM unit allows bright- and dark-field imaging. A JEOL EDS system makes this an ideal platform for users wishing to carry out routine X-ray microanalysis and elemental profiling and mapping.

  • Point resolution of 0.38 nm
  • Lattice resolution of 0.2 nm
  • Gatan Erlangshen (1.35 k x 1.08 k) camera
  • STEM imaging with BF, DF and X-ray signals
  • JEOL EDS system

Specialists: 
Dr Hongwei Liu (hongwei.liu@sydney.edu.au)
Dr Errin Johnson  (errin johnson@sydney.edu.au) (Bio)

The FEI T12 is a general purpose life science TEM operating at 120 kV. It is useful for screening of beam sensitive samples as well as low to medium range magnification imaging.

Specialists:

Dr Hongwei Liu (hongwei.liu@sydney.edu.au)
Dr Takanori Sato (takanori.sato@sydney.edu.au)

TEM holders

Along with our suite of TEMs, the following range of special TEM holders are currently available:

Gatan 652 Double tilt heating system
Gatan 671DH Single tilt cooling strain system
Gatan 914 High tilt tomography cyrotransfer system
Gatan 915F Double tilt cryotransfer system
Gatan 927 Dual orientation tomography system
Hysitron PI-95 Picoindenter
Hysitron PI-95 Picoindenter with MEMS heater + ECR electrical testing system