Liquid phase EM (LP-EM) enables the visualization of dynamic processes at the nanoscale—in their natural liquid environment. Whether you are observing chemical reactions in real-time, studying biological systems in action, or uncovering new materials science insights, LP-EM bridges the gap between traditional microscopy and the real world.
Image from: Khelfa, A. et al. (2021) ‘Quantitative In Situ Visualization of Thermal Effects on the Formation of Gold Nanocrystals in Solution’, Advanced Materials
Liquid samples are isolated from the column vacuum of the transmission electron microscope (TEM) using a variety of different strategies, the majority of which enclose the sample between two electron transparent membranes such as silicon nitride (SiN) or graphene. Thus, samples can move and react freely under observation, enabling real-time processes such as growth, degradation, and sample interactions to be observed with nanoscale resolution.
The Poseidon AX system is the most trusted solution for LP-EM measurements. Patented micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), called E-chips™, are used to introduce liquids in the TEM safely. The Poseidon AX system is a one-of-a-kind:
- Heating: E-chips can incorporate heating coils to uniformly heat the entire volume of sample liquid from room temperature to 100 ⁰C.
- Electrical Biasing: E-chips can come with a miniaturized three-electrode system made of relevant real-world materials for electrochemical measurements.
- Flow and sample size range: The small E-chips contain ‘spacers’ to create a gap between the two MEMS and therefore controls the liquid layer thickness and allows for flow. These spacers range from 0-5000 nm in size, making the system suitable for studying samples of varying dimensions.
- Mixing: With two different inlet ports, made from high chemical compatibility materials, mixing of liquids is possible. The liquids combine close to the observation windows, so that nucleation events can be observed from the start.
Find some interesting review papers below:
- Tarnawski, T. and Parlińska‐Wojtan, M. (2024) ‘Opportunities and Obstacles in LCTEM Nanoimaging – A Review’, Chemistry–Methods, 4, p. e202300041
- de Jonge, N. et al. (2019) ‘Resolution and aberration correction in liquid cell transmission electron microscopy’, Nature Reviews Materials, 4, 61–78
- Pu, S., Gong, C. and Robertson, A.W. (2020) ‘Liquid cell transmission electron microscopy and its applications’, Royal Society Open Science, 7, 191204
