IF 2.5 3区工程技术

Micron Pub Date : 2025-09-01 Epub Date: 2025-05-20 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2025.103857

András E. Vladár

{"title":"Electron irradiation-based cleaning of the scanning electron microscope and its samples","authors":"András E. Vladár","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103857","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103857","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The deposition of carbonaceous material under electron beam irradiation is an old and persistent problem in scanning electron microscopy. It impedes high-resolution imaging and measurements, especially at the nanometer scale. The emergence of contamination is a complex process of adsorption, dissociation, and desorption of carbonaceous molecules. Depending on the kind and amount of precursor molecules, vacuum, sample material, temperature, and the intensity and energy of the irradiating electrons, deposition can overwhelm removal or the other way. Fortunately, with the introduction and commercial availability of low-energy, plasma-based, and other cleaning devices, contamination can be reduced to non-detectable levels. Plasma devices, working in low vacuum, which is necessary to start and sustain plasma generation, can effectively remove contamination precursor hydrocarbon molecules to the extent that a clean sample can be imaged and continuously measured for hours without deposition of any perceptible amount of carbonaceous contamination. Here, we report on the results of a new and effective cleaning device that has recently become available, which is different from plasma cleaning devices. It is based on low-energy electron irradiation and works in high and ultra-high vacuum (UHV).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"196 ","pages":"Article 103857"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144098970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

MicroCT imaging of fibre water uptake in sugar maple (Acer saccharum) in response to freezing. 糖槭（Acer saccharum）纤维水分吸收对冰冻反应的微ct成像。

IF 2.5 3区工程技术

Micron Pub Date : 2025-09-01 Epub Date: 2025-07-03 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2025.103869

J.A. Robinson , M. Rennie , A. van den Berg , M. Clearwater , D.J. Holland , M.J. Watson

引用次数: 0

Generative resolution-enhanced microscopy based on computational stitching of Fourier spectra 基于傅立叶光谱计算拼接的生成分辨率增强显微镜

IF 2.5 3区工程技术

Micron Pub Date : 2025-09-01 Epub Date: 2025-06-14 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2025.103867

E. Stai , V. Constantoudis , A. Kaidatzis , V. Singh , M.K. Tiwari , E. Gogolides

{"title":"Generative resolution-enhanced microscopy based on computational stitching of Fourier spectra","authors":"E. Stai , V. Constantoudis , A. Kaidatzis , V. Singh , M.K. Tiwari , E. Gogolides","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103867","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103867","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Scanning Microscopies such as Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) are widely used in nanotechnology to display (<span><span>Kalinin et al., 2023</span></span>) and quantify surface nanoroughness. However, their measurements suffer from scale and spatial limitations which hinder their full exploitation in the optimization of nanostructure fabrication and performance. The aim of this work is to overcome these limitations by proposing a computational method which enables the generation of multiple surface measurements (overcome spatial limitation) with enhanced scale content and increased resolution (overcome scale limitation) successfully mimicking the real surfaces. The method exploits the benefits of Fourier transform and is easily implemented based on Fourier spectra stitching. It can provide astonishing increase of resolution (>10 times) in a large variety of image textures and, is fast with no requirements for training with large data sets. The so-called generative Fourier Spectra Stitching (gFSS) method is validated in synthesized rough surfaces and applied in real experimental AFM and SEM images of magnetic and metal surfaces with very promising results.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"196 ","pages":"Article 103867"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144290564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Self-aligned protective shield for preparing beam-sensitive MEMS-based chip samples using focused ion beam 利用聚焦离子束制备束敏mems芯片样品的自对准保护屏蔽

IF 2.5 3区工程技术

Micron Pub Date : 2025-09-01 Epub Date: 2025-06-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2025.103863

Haozhe Lu , Chuanhong Jin

{"title":"Self-aligned protective shield for preparing beam-sensitive MEMS-based chip samples using focused ion beam","authors":"Haozhe Lu , Chuanhong Jin","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103863","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103863","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Focused ion beam (FIB) preparation for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimens is widely used across various fields. However, in-situ micro-electro-mechanical systems-based (MEMS-based) chip specimen preparation presents unique challenges, particularly during the transfer stage, which involves transferring and attaching the sample to the MEMS-based chip. Attaching these chips often requires tilting the sample stage, which can cause the ion beam to strike the region of interest (ROI) at a steep, oblique angle. This leads to damage, redeposition, and contamination from ion beam-induced metal deposition. This issue becomes particularly critical for beam-sensitive nanostructures like aligned single-walled carbon nanotube arrays (A-CNTs). To address this, we developed a self-aligned protective shield method. This technique uses the inherent angular offset between the electron and ion beams in a dual-beam FIB system to shield the ROI during critical processing steps. Compatible with standard sampling techniques, our approach effectively mitigates ion beam-induced damage, redeposition and contamination. Controlled experiments on palladium (Pd)–A-CNT–silicon oxide (SiO<sub>2</sub>) multilayers, typical contact interface for A-CNT based devices, show enhanced interfacial integrity and structural clarity in scanning TEM (STEM) imaging. Ultimately, our method provides a robust and versatile solution for preparing high-quality cross-sectional TEM lamellae for in-situ MEMS-based chips, offering broad applicability to ion beam-sensitive materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"196 ","pages":"Article 103863"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144230191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Identification of phase-separated structures and polymer crystals inside polyolefin blends 聚烯烃共混物中相分离结构和聚合物晶体的鉴定

IF 2.5 3区工程技术

Micron Pub Date : 2025-09-01 Epub Date: 2025-06-20 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2025.103868

Shusuke Kanomi , Tomohiro Miyata , Hiroshi Jinnai

{"title":"Identification of phase-separated structures and polymer crystals inside polyolefin blends","authors":"Shusuke Kanomi , Tomohiro Miyata , Hiroshi Jinnai","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103868","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103868","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polyolefins, including polyethylene (PE) and isotactic polypropylene (iPP), constitute approximately half of all plastic production and consumption. However, recycled PE/iPP mixtures tend to be brittle, necessitating modifications to enhance their physical properties for practical applications. A comprehensive understanding of the internal structure of PE/iPP blends, which is influenced by phase separation and crystallization, is essential for improving their physical properties. Conventional electron microscopy techniques face limitations in distinguishing phases and observing crystal morphology. In this study, we introduce a four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy technique known as nanodiffraction imaging (NDI) to analyze the internal structure of polyolefin blends. Scanning a 1.4 nm-diameter electron beam at 5 nm intervals, we examined a high-density PE (HDPE)/iPP blend specimen with a 10:90 wt composition. Based on scattering vectors and azimuthal angles of the diffraction peaks, NDI effectively identifies phases inside the HDPE/iPP blend, maps the spatial distribution of HDPE and iPP crystals, and facilitates the orientation mapping of their molecular chains. Additionally, it enables analysis of the relationship between HDPE and iPP crystals near the interface. The demonstrated effectiveness of NDI in structural analysis represents a significant advancement in understanding how the internal structure of polyolefin blends correlates with their physical properties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"196 ","pages":"Article 103868"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144365936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Structure and compaction of plant chromosomes: Studies using advanced electron microscopy 植物染色体的结构和压实：用先进的电子显微镜研究

IF 2.5 3区工程技术

Micron Pub Date : 2025-09-01 Epub Date: 2025-05-26 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2025.103860

Nobuko Ohmido , Channarong Sartsanga , Astari Dwiranti

{"title":"Structure and compaction of plant chromosomes: Studies using advanced electron microscopy","authors":"Nobuko Ohmido , Channarong Sartsanga , Astari Dwiranti","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103860","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103860","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chromosomes serve as fundamental units for the transmission of genetic information, and understanding their higher-order structure has been a longstanding research challenge. This review highlights recent advances in plant chromosome structure analysis, focusing on electron microscopy techniques that enable nanoscale visualization of chromatin architecture. Improvements in chromosome preparation, including chromosome isolation and ionic liquid coating, have enhanced the preservation of chromosome structure. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Focused Ion Beam SEM (FIB-SEM) and High-Voltage Transmission Electron Microscopy (HVTEM) have revealed detailed features of chromatin folding in centromeric and non-centromeric regions. Proteomic studies have identified key chromosomal proteins, such as topoisomerase II and nucleolar proteins, contributing to chromosome condensation and stability. The role of divalent cations and RNA in chromatin compaction are also discussed. Integrating these findings, this review provides an overview of technological advancements and their impact on elucidating chromosome architecture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"196 ","pages":"Article 103860"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144205019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

New insights into aberrant sperm morphology: The structure of dimorphic spermatozoa in Edessa rufomarginata (De Geer, 1773) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) 对异常精子形态的新认识：Edessa ruformarginata （De Geer, 1773）中二态精子的结构（半翅目：五蝽科）

IF 2.5 3区工程技术

Micron Pub Date : 2025-09-01 Epub Date: 2025-05-26 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2025.103861

Mauricio da Silva Paulo , Paulo Henrique Rezende , Ana Clara Pereira Teixeira , Dayvson Ayala-Costa , José Lino-Neto , Glenda Dias

{"title":"New insights into aberrant sperm morphology: The structure of dimorphic spermatozoa in Edessa rufomarginata (De Geer, 1773) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)","authors":"Mauricio da Silva Paulo , Paulo Henrique Rezende , Ana Clara Pereira Teixeira , Dayvson Ayala-Costa , José Lino-Neto , Glenda Dias","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103861","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103861","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Male bugs of the Pentatomidae family can produce heteromorphic sperm during spermiogenesis, forming two or more distinct morphotypes. In <em>Edessa rufomarginata</em> (De Geer, 1773), this phenomenon culminates in the production of two specific sperm morphotypes: one typical (Type I) and the other aberrant (Type II). Using transmission electron microscopy techniques, we describe in detail the characteristics of these cells. Typical sperm have characteristics common to Heteroptera, including an acrosome positioned anteriorly to the nucleus, which later elongates laterally to it; two symmetrical mitochondrial derivatives in a “half-moon” shape connected to the axoneme by two bridges; and the absence of accessory bodies. In contrast, aberrant spermatozoa have a rounded acrosome that does not extend laterally to the nucleus until the nucleus-flagellum transition region. Furthermore, the mitochondrial derivatives of these spermatozoa are considerably thicker, reaching up to five times the diameter observed in typical spermatozoa. However, both morphotypes exhibit the synapomorphies of Heteroptera. These structural distinctions indicate a marked morphological variation that may be associated with specific functions or reproductive strategies of the species. These new morphological data are possibly specific to the genus <em>Edessa</em>, or perhaps to the Edessinae. They may be complementary tools for resolving taxonomic and phylogenetic questions for this diverse group.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"196 ","pages":"Article 103861"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144137808","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Low frequency band pass Fourier filtering for irradiation damage analysis in the transmission electron microscope 低频带通傅立叶滤波用于透射电镜辐照损伤分析

IF 2.5 3区工程技术

Micron Pub Date : 2025-09-01 Epub Date: 2025-06-07 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2025.103864

Daniel L. Foley , Emily H. Mang , Yongqiang Wang , Douglas E. Spearot , Mitra L. Taheri

引用次数: 0

Unmixing system-wide and geometry-specific plasmon modes in faceted nanoparticle trimers using a two-step matrix factorization 使用两步矩阵分解在多面纳米粒子三聚体中分离系统范围和几何特定的等离子体模式

IF 2.5 3区工程技术

Micron Pub Date : 2025-09-01 Epub Date: 2025-06-16 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2025.103866

Martin Couillard

{"title":"Unmixing system-wide and geometry-specific plasmon modes in faceted nanoparticle trimers using a two-step matrix factorization","authors":"Martin Couillard","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103866","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103866","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plasmonic modes in coupled nanoparticle systems are shaped by both interparticle interactions and geometry-specific features, such as facets and vertices. However, standard decomposition techniques, such as non-negative matrix factorization (NMF), often fail to individually isolate modes that are localized. This limitation arises because the factorization process relies solely on spectral data, without incorporating spatial context. To address this, we apply factorization in two steps. First, NMF identifies bulk and coupled system-wide contributions, that can then be removed in spectral reconstruction to isolate localized geometry-specific modes. Then, we perform region-based NMF on spatially-selected areas of a silica-shelled silver-nanoparticle trimer to identify subtle energy shifts between vertex and facet modes at different locations on the nanoparticles. Our approach thus enables the identification of global plasmonic modes extending across the entire dimer or trimer system, as well as geometry-specific modes arising from the faceted structure of individual nanoparticles. By reintroducing spatial context, we further distinguish between different localized modes, even within the same nanoparticle, revealing the influence of subtle geometric variations on plasmonic resonances and the potential for partial coupling between geometry-specific modes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"196 ","pages":"Article 103866"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144365937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Simulating dynamic image formation in a Transmission Electron Microscope with a proposed electron beam phase plate 用提出的电子束相位板模拟透射电子显微镜的动态成像

IF 2.5 3区工程技术

Micron Pub Date : 2025-09-01 Epub Date: 2025-05-29 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2025.103862

Smyan Sondur, Hugo E.A. Svenberg, Anton Johansson, Philip J.B. Koeck

{"title":"Simulating dynamic image formation in a Transmission Electron Microscope with a proposed electron beam phase plate","authors":"Smyan Sondur, Hugo E.A. Svenberg, Anton Johansson, Philip J.B. Koeck","doi":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103862","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.micron.2025.103862","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Imaging thin organic specimens with Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) presents a significant challenge due to their inherently weak contrast. An additional electron optical element, placed in a focal plane of the objective lens, such as a phase plate (PP) can improve the contrast by inducing a relative phase shift between scattered and unscattered electrons. However, any additional optical element can also lead to additional noise due to random and beam-induced variations. To address this problem we have, as a first example, simulated the dynamic image formation of a weak phase object in a TEM equipped with a proposed PP consisting of two electron beams orthogonal to the optical axis of the TEM. The random and beam-induced variation of the PP is simulated with particle dynamics including all pairwise interactions among the electrons of the PP and the TEM electron. The resulting three-dimensional PP potential, which now includes these variations, is then used in a variant of the multislice algorithm to compute the exit wave’s interaction with the PP. The quality of the simulation was validated against previous theoretical calculations and the simulated images were quantitatively compared to the projected potential of the specimen using Fourier ring correlation. These simulations indicate that a TEM equipped with this type of PP could produce images with consistent contrast in a resolution band up to about 4 Å. This range could be extended to higher resolutions by a modified CTF-correction including the effect of the PP. The underlying idea of dynamic simulations taking the variation of optical elements and maybe even the specimen into account could be generalized to many other imaging situations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18501,"journal":{"name":"Micron","volume":"196 ","pages":"Article 103862"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144195773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

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