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Improving Fabrication and Application of Zach Phase Plates for Phase-Contrast Transmission Electron Microscopy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 October 2012

Simon Hettler ,
Björn Gamm ,
Manuel Dries ,
Nicole Frindt ,
Rasmus R. Schröder  and
Dagmar Gerthsen
Simon Hettler*
Affiliation:
Laboratorium für Elektronenmikroskopie, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), 76128 Karlsruhe, Germany
Björn Gamm
Affiliation:
Laboratorium für Elektronenmikroskopie, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), 76128 Karlsruhe, Germany
Manuel Dries
Affiliation:
Laboratorium für Elektronenmikroskopie, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), 76128 Karlsruhe, Germany
Nicole Frindt
Affiliation:
CellNetworks, BioQuant, Universität Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Rasmus R. Schröder
Affiliation:
CellNetworks, BioQuant, Universität Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Dagmar Gerthsen
Affiliation:
Laboratorium für Elektronenmikroskopie, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), 76128 Karlsruhe, Germany
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Zach phase plates (PPs) are promising devices to enhance phase contrast in transmission electron microscopy. The Zach PP shifts the phase of the zero-order beam by a strongly localized inhomogeneous electrostatic potential in the back focal plane of the objective lens. We present substantial improvements of the Zach PP, which overcome previous limitations. The implementation of a microstructured heating device significantly reduces contamination and charging of the PP structure and extends its lifetime. An improved production process allows fabricating PPs with reduced dimensions resulting in lower cut-on frequencies as revealed by simulations of the electrostatic potential. Phase contrast with inversion of PbSe nanoparticles is demonstrated in a standard transmission electron microscope with LaB6 cathode by applying different voltages.

Keywords

phase platetransmission electron microscopyphase contrastweak-phase objectheating devicechargingcontamination
Type
Techniques and Equipment Development
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 18 , Issue 5 , October 2012 , pp. 1010 - 1015
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2012

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