Liquid-Flowing Graphene Chip-Based High-Resolution Electron Microscopy.

Koo, Kunmo; Park, Jungjae; Ji, Sanghyeon; Toleukhanova, Saltanat; Yuk, Jong Min · Adv Mater · 2021

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

The recent advances in liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy represent tremendous potential in many different fields and exciting new opportunities. However, achieving both high-resolution imaging and operando capabilities remain a significant challenge. This work suggests a novel in situ imaging platform of liquid-flowing graphene chip TEM (LFGC-TEM) equipped with graphene viewing windows and a liquid exchange system. The LFGCs are robust under high-pressure gradients and rapid liquid circulation in ranges covering the experimental conditions accessible with conventional thick SiN<sub>x</sub> chips. LFGC-TEM provides atomic resolution for colloidal nanoparticles and molecular-level information limits for unstained wet biomolecules and cells that are comparable to the resolutions achievable with solid-phase and cryogenic TEM, respectively. This imaging platform can provide an opportunity for live imaging of biological phenomena that is not yet achieved using any current methods.

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