CNST Hosts Workshop on In Situ Measurements using Transmission Electron Microscopy

On April 11 and 12, 2013, the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology(CNST) hosted a workshop on "Frontiers of In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy." The workshop, which focused on in situ measurement techniques using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), was jointly organized with Drexel University and Brookhaven National Laboratory and co-sponsored by the CNST, FEI Company, and JEOL USA, Inc. 

While the concept of in situ TEM measurements dates back to the nineteen fifties, the significance of these measurement techniques has increased dramatically during the last fifteen years as TEMs have become more versatile in order to provide the stringent metrology needed for nanotechnology.  Advances in all aspects of TEM instrumentation, including application of external stimuli, high resolution spatial and temporal imaging, data capture, and camera technology now enable researchers to make nanoscale dynamic measurements in real-time during chemical reactions.

The workshop featured speakers from equipment manufacturing companies, vendors, academia, and government.  The speakers addressed the current status of in situ TEM metrology and the need to further improve nanoscale measurement techniques in order to better understand nanofabrication processes. Breakout sessions among 50 participants stimulated lively discussions about ways of overcoming the technological barriers to adding new capabilities to TEM platforms, including ways of acquiring and processing large data sets, correcting sample drift, and more precisely measuring sample temperatures.

The outcome of these discussions will be compiled into a workshop report that will be posted at the workshop website, http://www.nist.gov/cnst/in_situ_tem_workshop.cfm, which will also include an archive of the speaker presentations.