The Talos Transmission Electron Microscope offers exceptional high-resolution S/TEM and TEM imaging, along with industry-leading energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy for signal detection, chemical characterization, and composition mapping. The ASTAR system (NanoMegas) on this microscope uses a nano beam to record consecutive electron diffraction patterns to analyze for crystal phase and orientation mapping with high resolution (4 nm and 2 nm with and without beam precession). Authorized users can access our SOP for NanoMegas operation.

To request training on the TEM, please complete the TEM Training Form. Authorized users may also refer to our TEM SOP. Additionally, videos demonstrating the lab and basic TEM operation are available.

EM Access Request Form

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

TEM Superusers:

Matthew Patrick

Tony Peng

Lab director: Dr. Amir Zangiabadi

To learn more about the theory behind the TEM techniques, it is recommended to review the book Transmission Electron Microscopy by Williams and Carter.

Key features and specifications of the microscope (flyer):

• Maximum accelerating voltage of 200 kV

• Constant power A-TWIN objective lens

• X-FEG field emission source; brightness 1.8×109 A/cm² srad (at 200 kV)

• Total beam current >50 nA

• Probe current, 0.4 nA in 0.31 nm probe (at 200 kV), 1.5 nA at 1.0 nm probe (at 200 kV)

• Super X-EDS system (energy dispersive spectroscopy); 4 Silicon drift detectors (SDD) symmetric design, windowless, shutter protected

• Energy resolution ~ 136 eV for Mn-Ka and 10 kcps (kilo counts per second output)

• Fast EDS mapping; pixel dwell time down to 10 ms (up to 105 spectra/sec)

• VeloxTM S/TEM for improved imaging with a drift corrected frame integration (DFCI) engine

• STEM high angle annular dark field (HAADF) resolution (nm) 0.16

• EDX solid angle (srad) 0.9

• TEM information limit (nm) 0.12

• TEM point resolution (nm) 0.25

• TEM spherical aberration 1.3mm, STEM spherical aberration 1.0 mm

• STEM magnification range 150× - 230 Mx

• TEM magnification range 25× - 1.5 Mx

• Camera length (mm) 12-5100

• Maximum diffraction angle ±12°

• Maximum tilt angle with double tilt holder ±30°

• Maximum goniometer (stage) tilt angle ±90°

• SmartCam digital search and view camera

• Fully integrated fast detector, Ceta 16 Mpixel CMOS camera with a large field of view and high-read out speed (2 frames per second (fps) at 4K and 18 fps at 1K)

• Piezo stage

• Full remote operation with automatic aperture system in combination with the Ceta camera

For more information on the TEM please contact: Dr. Amirali Zangiabadi.