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Tegg L, McCarroll IE, Kim SH, Dubosq R, Woods EV, El-Zoka AA, Gault B, Cairney JM. Analysis of Water Ice in Nanoporous Copper Needles Using Cryo Atom Probe Tomography. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2024:ozae062. [PMID: 39027931 DOI: 10.1093/mam/ozae062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
The application of atom probe tomography (APT) to frozen liquids is limited by difficulties in specimen preparation. Here, we report on the use of nanoporous Cu needles as a physical framework to hold water ice for investigation using APT. Nanoporous Cu needles are prepared by electropolishing and dealloying Cu-Mn matchstick precursors. Cryogenic scanning electron microscopy and focused ion beam milling reveal a hierarchical, dendritic, highly wettable microstructure. The atom probe mass spectrum is dominated by peaks of Cu+ and H(H2O)n+ up to n ≤ 3, and the reconstructed volume shows the protrusion of a Cu ligament into an ice-filled pore. The continuous Cu ligament network electrically connects the apex to the cryostage, leading to an enhanced electric field at the apex and increased cooling, both of which simplify the mass spectrum compared to previous reports.
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Affiliation(s)
- Levi Tegg
- School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales 2006, Australia
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Ingrid E McCarroll
- Department of Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design,Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 40237 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Se-Ho Kim
- Department of Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design,Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 40237 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Renelle Dubosq
- Department of Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design,Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 40237 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Eric V Woods
- Department of Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design,Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 40237 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ayman A El-Zoka
- Department of Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design,Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 40237 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Baptiste Gault
- Department of Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design,Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 40237 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Julie M Cairney
- School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales 2006, Australia
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales 2006, Australia
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2
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Exertier F, Tegg L, Taylor A, Cairney JM, Fu J, Marceau RKW. Nanoscale Analysis of Frozen Water by Atom Probe Tomography Using Graphene Encapsulation and Cryo-Workflows. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2024:ozae054. [PMID: 38905154 DOI: 10.1093/mam/ozae054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
There has been an increasing interest in atom probe tomography (APT) to characterize hydrated and biological materials. A major benefit of APT compared to microscopy techniques more commonly used in biology is its combination of outstanding three-dimensional (3D) spatial resolution and mass sensitivity. APT has already been successfully used to characterize biominerals, revealing key structural information at the atomic scale, however there are many challenges inherent to the analysis of soft hydrated materials. New preparation protocols, often involving specimen preparation and transfer at cryogenic temperature, enable APT analysis of hydrated materials and have the potential to enable 3D atomic scale characterization of biological materials in the near-native hydrated state. In this study, samples of pure water at the tips of tungsten needle specimens were prepared at room temperature by graphene encapsulation. A comparative study was conducted where specimens were transferred at either room temperature or cryo-temperature and analyzed by APT by varying the flight path and pulsing mode. The differences between the analysis workflows are presented along with recommendations for future studies, and the compatibility between graphene coating and cryogenic workflows is demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florant Exertier
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
| | - Levi Tegg
- School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Adam Taylor
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
| | - Julie M Cairney
- School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Jing Fu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Ross K W Marceau
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
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3
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Woods EV, Kim SH, El-Zoka AA, Stephenson LT, Gault B. Scalable substrate development for aqueous sample preparation for atom probe tomography. J Microsc 2023. [PMID: 38115688 DOI: 10.1111/jmi.13255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Reliable and consistent preparation of atom probe tomography (APT) specimens from aqueous and hydrated biological specimens remains a significant challenge. One particularly difficult process step is the use of a focused ion beam (FIB) instrument for preparing the required needle-shaped specimen, typically involving a 'lift-out' procedure of a small sample of material. Here, two alternative substrate designs are introduced that enable using FIB only for sharpening, along with example APT datasets. The first design is a laser-cut FIB-style half-grid close to those used for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) that can be used in a grid holder compatible with APT pucks. The second design is a larger, standalone self-supporting substrate called a 'crown', with several specimen positions, which self-aligns in APT pucks, prepared by electrical discharge machining (EDM). Both designs are made nanoporous, to provide strength to the liquid-substrate interface, using chemical and vacuum dealloying. Alpha brass, a simple, widely available, lower-cost alternative to previously proposed substrates, was selected for this work. The resulting designs and APT data are presented and suggestions are provided to help drive wider community adoption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric V Woods
- Department Mikrostrukturphysik und Legierungsdesign, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Se-Ho Kim
- Department Mikrostrukturphysik und Legierungsdesign, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ayman A El-Zoka
- Department Mikrostrukturphysik und Legierungsdesign, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - L T Stephenson
- Department Mikrostrukturphysik und Legierungsdesign, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - B Gault
- Department Mikrostrukturphysik und Legierungsdesign, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London, London, UK
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4
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Zand F, Hangx SJT, Spiers CJ, van den Brink PJ, Burns J, Boebinger MG, Poplawsky JD, Monai M, Weckhuysen BM. Elucidating the Structure and Composition of Individual Bimetallic Nanoparticles in Supported Catalysts by Atom Probe Tomography. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:17299-17308. [PMID: 37490556 PMCID: PMC10416302 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c04474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Understanding and controlling the structure and composition of nanoparticles in supported metal catalysts are crucial to improve chemical processes. For this, atom probe tomography (APT) is a unique tool, as it allows for spatially resolved three-dimensional chemical imaging of materials with sub-nanometer resolution. However, thus far APT has not been applied for mesoporous oxide-supported metal catalyst materials, due to the size and number of pores resulting in sample fracture during experiments. To overcome these issues, we developed a high-pressure resin impregnation strategy and showcased the applicability to high-porous supported Pd-Ni-based catalyst materials, which are active in CO2 hydrogenation. Within the reconstructed volume of 3 × 105 nm3, we identified over 400 Pd-Ni clusters, with compositions ranging from 0 to 16 atom % Pd and a size distribution of 2.6 ± 1.6 nm. These results illustrate that APT is capable of quantitatively assessing the size, composition, and metal distribution for a large number of nanoparticles at the sub-nm scale in industrial catalysts. Furthermore, we showcase that metal segregation occurred predominately between nanoparticles, shedding light on the mechanism of metal segregation. We envision that the presented methodology expands the capabilities of APT to investigate porous functional nanomaterials, including but not limited to solid catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Zand
- Inorganic
Chemistry and Catalysis Group, Institute for Sustainable and Circular
Chemistry and Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Suzanne J. T. Hangx
- High
Pressure and Temperature Laboratory, Utrecht
University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Christopher J. Spiers
- High
Pressure and Temperature Laboratory, Utrecht
University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - James Burns
- Center
for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge
National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Matthew G. Boebinger
- Center
for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge
National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Jonathan D. Poplawsky
- Center
for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge
National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Matteo Monai
- Inorganic
Chemistry and Catalysis Group, Institute for Sustainable and Circular
Chemistry and Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bert M. Weckhuysen
- Inorganic
Chemistry and Catalysis Group, Institute for Sustainable and Circular
Chemistry and Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
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5
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George A, Kim DN, Moser T, Gildea IT, Evans JE, Cheung MS. Graph identification of proteins in tomograms (GRIP-Tomo). Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4538. [PMID: 36482866 PMCID: PMC9798246 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we present a method of pattern mining based on network theory that enables the identification of protein structures or complexes from synthetic volume densities, without the knowledge of predefined templates or human biases for refinement. We hypothesized that the topological connectivity of protein structures is invariant, and they are distinctive for the purpose of protein identification from distorted data presented in volume densities. Three-dimensional densities of a protein or a complex from simulated tomographic volumes were transformed into mathematical graphs as observables. We systematically introduced data distortion or defects such as missing fullness of data, the tumbling effect, and the missing wedge effect into the simulated volumes, and varied the distance cutoffs in pixels to capture the varying connectivity between the density cluster centroids in the presence of defects. A similarity score between the graphs from the simulated volumes and the graphs transformed from the physical protein structures in point data was calculated by comparing their network theory order parameters including node degrees, betweenness centrality, and graph densities. By capturing the essential topological features defining the heterogeneous morphologies of a network, we were able to accurately identify proteins and homo-multimeric complexes from 10 topologically distinctive samples without realistic noise added. Our approach empowers future developments of tomogram processing by providing pattern mining with interpretability, to enable the classification of single-domain protein native topologies as well as distinct single-domain proteins from multimeric complexes within noisy volumes.
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Affiliation(s)
- August George
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Doo Nam Kim
- Biological Science Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
| | - Trevor Moser
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
| | - Ian T Gildea
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
| | - James E Evans
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA.,School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Margaret S Cheung
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA.,Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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6
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Schwarz TM, Ott J, Solodenko H, Schmitz G, Stender P. Nanoscale analysis of frozen honey by atom probe tomography. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17786. [PMID: 36273026 PMCID: PMC9587987 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22717-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional reconstruction of the analysed volume is one of the main goals of atom probe tomography (APT) and can deliver nearly atomic resolution (~ 0.2 nm spatial resolution) and chemical information with a mass sensitivity down to the ppm range. Extending this technique to frozen biological systems would have an enormous impact on the structural analysis of biomolecules. In previous works, we have shown that it is possible to measure frozen liquids with APT. In this paper, we demonstrate the ability of APT to trace nanoscale precipitation in frozen natural honey. While the mass signals of the common sugar fragments CxHy and CxOyHz overlap with (H2O)nH from water, we achieved correct stoichiometric values via different interpretation approaches for the peaks and thus determined the water content reliably. Next, we use honey to investigate the spatial resolution capabilities as a step toward the measurement of biological molecules in solution in 3D with sub-nanometer resolution. This may take analytical techniques to a new level, since methods of chemical characterization for cryogenic samples, especially biological samples, are still limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim M. Schwarz
- grid.5719.a0000 0004 1936 9713Institute for Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Jonas Ott
- grid.5719.a0000 0004 1936 9713Institute for Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Helena Solodenko
- grid.5719.a0000 0004 1936 9713Institute for Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Guido Schmitz
- grid.5719.a0000 0004 1936 9713Institute for Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Patrick Stender
- grid.5719.a0000 0004 1936 9713Institute for Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
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7
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Grandfield K, Micheletti C, Deering J, Arcuri G, Tang T, Langelier B. Atom Probe Tomography for Biomaterials and Biomineralization. Acta Biomater 2022; 148:44-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
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8
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Qu J, Yang W, Wu T, Ren W, Huang J, Yu H, Zhao C, Griffith MJ, Zheng R, Ringer SP, Cairney JM. Atom probe specimen preparation methods for nanoparticles. Ultramicroscopy 2022; 233:113420. [PMID: 34775241 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2021.113420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Revealing the position of materials with chemical selectivity at atomic scale within functional nanoparticles is essential to understand and control their performance and cutting-edge atom probe tomography is a powerful tool to undertake this task. In this paper, we demonstrate three effective methods to prepare the needle-shaped specimens required for atom probe tomography measurements from nanoparticles of different sizes and provide examples of how atom probe can be used to provide data that is critical to their functionality. Samples measured include lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) cathode nanoparticles (300 - 500 nm), nickel-doped silicon dioxide (Ni@SiO2) catalytic nanoparticles (100 - 200 nm) and tin-doped copper (Sn@Cu) catalytic nanoparticles (<100 nm). The methods presented can be used to address the ongoing challenge of specimen preparation from particle samples for atom probe measurement, and they provide high quality data. These methods will broaden the application of atom probe tomography and will provide alternative option for researchers to assess the performance/structure of their functional nanomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangtao Qu
- Australian Centre for Microscopy & Microanalysis
| | - Wenjie Yang
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
| | - Tianhao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 China
| | - Wenhao Ren
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, 2052 NSW, Australia
| | - Jun Huang
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
| | - Haijun Yu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 China
| | - Chuan Zhao
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, 2052 NSW, Australia
| | | | - Rongkun Zheng
- Australian Centre for Microscopy & Microanalysis; the School of Physics
| | - Simon P Ringer
- Australian Centre for Microscopy & Microanalysis; School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, the University of Sydney, 2006, Australia
| | - Julie M Cairney
- Australian Centre for Microscopy & Microanalysis; School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, the University of Sydney, 2006, Australia.
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9
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Stender P, Gault B, Schwarz TM, Woods EV, Kim SH, Ott J, Stephenson LT, Schmitz G, Freysoldt C, Kästner J, El-Zoka AA. Status and Direction of Atom Probe Analysis of Frozen Liquids. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2022; 28:1-18. [PMID: 35039105 DOI: 10.1017/s1431927621013994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Imaging of liquids and cryogenic biological materials by electron microscopy has been recently enabled by innovative approaches for specimen preparation and the fast development of optimized instruments for cryo-enabled electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Yet, cryo-EM typically lacks advanced analytical capabilities, in particular for light elements. With the development of protocols for frozen wet specimen preparation, atom probe tomography (APT) could advantageously complement insights gained by cryo-EM. Here, we report on different approaches that have been recently proposed to enable the analysis of relatively large volumes of frozen liquids from either a flat substrate or the fractured surface of a wire. Both allowed for analyzing water ice layers which are several micrometers thick consisting of pure water, pure heavy water, and aqueous solutions. We discuss the merits of both approaches and prospects for further developments in this area. Preliminary results raise numerous questions, in part concerning the physics underpinning field evaporation. We discuss these aspects and lay out some of the challenges regarding the APT analysis of frozen liquids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Stender
- Institute of Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Baptiste Gault
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Tim M Schwarz
- Institute of Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Eric V Woods
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Se-Ho Kim
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jonas Ott
- Institute of Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569Stuttgart, Germany
| | | | - Guido Schmitz
- Institute of Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569Stuttgart, Germany
| | | | - Johannes Kästner
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, 70569Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Ayman A El-Zoka
- Institute of Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstrasse 3, 70569Stuttgart, Germany
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10
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Solodenko H, Stender P, Schmitz G. Atom Probe Study of 1-Octadecanethiol Self-Assembled Monolayers on Platinum (111) and (200) Surfaces. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2021; 28:1-10. [PMID: 34490841 DOI: 10.1017/s1431927621012654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Atom probe tomography measurements of self-assembled monolayers of 1-octadecanethiol on platinum tips were performed and their fragmentation behavior under the influence of different laser powers was investigated. The carbon backbone evaporates in the form of small hydrocarbon fragments consisting of one to four carbon atoms, while sulfur evaporates exclusively as single ions. The carbon molecules evaporate at very low fields of 5.9 V/nm, while S requires a considerably higher evaporation field of 23.4 V/nm. With increasing laser power, a weak, but noticeable trend toward larger fragment sizes is observed. No hydrocarbon fragments containing S are detected, indicating that a strong S–Pt bond has formed. The observed surface coverage of S fits well with literature values and is higher for (111)-oriented samples than for (200).
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Solodenko
- Institute for Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Patrick Stender
- Institute for Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Guido Schmitz
- Institute for Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569Stuttgart, Germany
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11
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The homogenous alternative to biomineralization: Zn- and Mn-rich materials enable sharp organismal "tools" that reduce force requirements. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17481. [PMID: 34471148 PMCID: PMC8410824 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91795-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We measured hardness, modulus of elasticity, and, for the first time, loss tangent, energy of fracture, abrasion resistance, and impact resistance of zinc- and manganese-enriched materials from fangs, stings and other "tools" of an ant, spider, scorpion and nereid worm. The mechanical properties of the Zn- and Mn-materials tended to cluster together between plain and biomineralized "tool" materials, with the hardness reaching, and most abrasion resistance values exceeding, those of calcified salmon teeth and crab claws. Atom probe tomography indicated that Zn was distributed homogeneously on a nanometer scale and likely bound as individual atoms to more than ¼ of the protein residues in ant mandibular teeth. This homogeneity appears to enable sharper, more precisely sculpted "tools" than materials with biomineral inclusions do, and also eliminates interfaces with the inclusions that could be susceptible to fracture. Based on contact mechanics and simplified models, we hypothesize that, relative to plain materials, the higher elastic modulus, hardness and abrasion resistance minimize temporary or permanent tool blunting, resulting in a roughly 2/3 reduction in the force, energy, and muscle mass required to initiate puncture of stiff materials, and even greater force reductions when the cumulative effects of abrasion are considered. We suggest that the sharpness-related force reductions lead to significant energy savings, and can also enable organisms, especially smaller ones, to puncture, cut, and grasp objects that would not be accessible with plain or biomineralized "tools".
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12
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Josten JP, Felfer PJ. Atom Probe Analysis of Nanoparticles Through Pick and Coat Sample Preparation. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2021; 28:1-10. [PMID: 34099073 DOI: 10.1017/s1431927621000465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The ability to analyze nanoparticles in the atom probe has often been limited by the complexity of the sample preparation. In this work, we present a method to lift–out single nanoparticles in the scanning electron microscope. First, nanoparticles are dispersed on a lacey carbon grid, then positioned on a sharp substrate tip and coated on all sides with a metallic matrix by physical vapor deposition. Compositional and structural insights are provided for spherical gold nanoparticles and a segregation of silver and copper in silver copper oxide nanorods is shown in 3D atom maps. Using the standard atom probe reconstruction algorithm, data quality is limited by typical standard reconstruction artifacts for heterogeneous specimens (trajectory aberrations) and the choice of suitable coatings for the particles. This approach can be applied to various unsupported free-standing nanoparticles, enables preselection of particles via correlative techniques, and reliably produces well-defined structured samples. The only prerequisite is that the nanoparticles must be large enough to be manipulated, which was done for sizes down to ~50 nm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan P Josten
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Institute I, Martensstraße 5, 91058Erlangen, Germany
| | - Peter J Felfer
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Institute I, Martensstraße 5, 91058Erlangen, Germany
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13
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Schwarz TM, Dietrich CA, Ott J, Weikum EM, Lawitzki R, Solodenko H, Hadjixenophontos E, Gault B, Kästner J, Schmitz G, Stender P. 3D sub-nanometer analysis of glucose in an aqueous solution by cryo-atom probe tomography. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11607. [PMID: 34078953 PMCID: PMC8172843 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90862-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Atom Probe Tomography (APT) is currently a well-established technique to analyse the composition of solid materials including metals, semiconductors and ceramics with up to near-atomic resolution. Using an aqueous glucose solution, we now extended the technique to frozen solutions. While the mass signals of the common glucose fragments CxHy and CxOyHz overlap with (H2O)nH from water, we achieved stoichiometrically correct values via signal deconvolution. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to investigate the stability of the detected pyranose fragments. This paper demonstrates APT’s capabilities to achieve sub-nanometre resolution in tracing whole glucose molecules in a frozen solution by using cryogenic workflows. We use a solution of defined concentration to investigate the chemical resolution capabilities as a step toward the measurement of biological molecules. Due to the evaporation of nearly intact glucose molecules, their position within the measured 3D volume of the solution can be determined with sub-nanometre resolution. Our analyses take analytical techniques to a new level, since chemical characterization methods for cryogenically-frozen solutions or biological materials are limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- T M Schwarz
- Chair of Materials Physics, Institute for Materials Science, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - C A Dietrich
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - J Ott
- Chair of Materials Physics, Institute for Materials Science, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - E M Weikum
- Chair of Materials Physics, Institute for Materials Science, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - R Lawitzki
- Chair of Materials Physics, Institute for Materials Science, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - H Solodenko
- Chair of Materials Physics, Institute for Materials Science, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - E Hadjixenophontos
- Chair of Materials Physics, Institute for Materials Science, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - B Gault
- Max-Planck-Institut Für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 40237, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2BP, UK
| | - J Kästner
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - G Schmitz
- Chair of Materials Physics, Institute for Materials Science, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - P Stender
- Chair of Materials Physics, Institute for Materials Science, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany.
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Gault B, Chiaramonti A, Cojocaru-Mirédin O, Stender P, Dubosq R, Freysoldt C, Makineni SK, Li T, Moody M, Cairney JM. Atom probe tomography. NATURE REVIEWS. METHODS PRIMERS 2021; 1:10.1038/s43586-021-00047-w. [PMID: 37719173 PMCID: PMC10502706 DOI: 10.1038/s43586-021-00047-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Atom probe tomography (APT) provides three-dimensional compositional mapping with sub-nanometre resolution. The sensitivity of APT is in the range of parts per million for all elements, including light elements such as hydrogen, carbon or lithium, enabling unique insights into the composition of performance-enhancing or lifetime-limiting microstructural features and making APT ideally suited to complement electron-based or X-ray-based microscopies and spectroscopies. Here, we provide an introductory overview of APT ranging from its inception as an evolution of field ion microscopy to the most recent developments in specimen preparation, including for nanomaterials. We touch on data reconstruction, analysis and various applications, including in the geosciences and the burgeoning biological sciences. We review the underpinnings of APT performance and discuss both strengths and limitations of APT, including how the community can improve on current shortcomings. Finally, we look forwards to true atomic-scale tomography with the ability to measure the isotopic identity and spatial coordinates of every atom in an ever wider range of materials through new specimen preparation routes, novel laser pulsing and detector technologies, and full interoperability with complementary microscopy techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baptiste Gault
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Ann Chiaramonti
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Applied Chemicals and Materials Division, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - Patrick Stender
- Institute of Materials Science, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Renelle Dubosq
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Tong Li
- Institute for Materials, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Michael Moody
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Julie M. Cairney
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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15
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El-Zoka AA, Kim SH, Deville S, Newman RC, Stephenson LT, Gault B. Enabling near-atomic-scale analysis of frozen water. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/49/eabd6324. [PMID: 33277259 PMCID: PMC7821902 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd6324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Transmission electron microscopy went through a revolution enabling routine cryo-imaging of biological and (bio)chemical systems, in liquid form. Yet, these approaches typically lack advanced analytical capabilities. Here, we used atom probe tomography to analyze frozen liquids in three dimensions with subnanometer resolution. We introduce a specimen preparation strategy using nanoporous gold. We report data on 2- to 3-μm-thick layers of ice formed from both high-purity deuterated water and a solution of 50 mM NaCl in high-purity deuterated water. The analysis of the gold-ice interface reveals a substantial increase in the solute concentrations across the interface. We explore a range of experimental parameters to show that atom probe analyses of bulk aqueous specimens come with their own challenges and discuss physical processes that produce the observed phenomena. Our study demonstrates the viability of using frozen water as a carrier for near-atomic-scale analysis of objects in solution by atom probe tomography.
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Affiliation(s)
- A A El-Zoka
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - S-H Kim
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - S Deville
- Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, Institut Lumière Matière, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - R C Newman
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - L T Stephenson
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - B Gault
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Düsseldorf, Germany.
- Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London, London, UK
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16
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Schwarz TM, Weikum EM, Meng K, Hadjixenophontos E, Dietrich CA, Kästner J, Stender P, Schmitz G. Field evaporation and atom probe tomography of pure water tips. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20271. [PMID: 33219263 PMCID: PMC7680140 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77130-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Measuring biological samples by atom probe tomography (APT) in their natural environment, i.e. aqueous solution, would take this analytical method, which is currently well established for metals, semi-conductive materials and non-metals, to a new level. It would give information about the 3D chemical structure of biological systems, which could enable unprecedented insights into biological systems and processes, such as virus protein interactions. For this future aim, we present as a first essential step the APT analysis of pure water (Milli-Q) which is the main component of biological systems. After Cryo-preparation, nanometric water tips are field evaporated with assistance by short laser pulses. The obtained data sets of several tens of millions of atoms reveal a complex evaporation behavior. Understanding the field evaporation process of water is fundamental for the measurement of more complex biological systems. For the identification of the individual signals in the mass spectrum, DFT calculations were performed to prove the stability of the detected molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- T M Schwarz
- Institute for Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - E M Weikum
- Institute for Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - K Meng
- Institute for Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - E Hadjixenophontos
- Institute for Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - C A Dietrich
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - J Kästner
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - P Stender
- Institute for Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - G Schmitz
- Institute for Materials Science, Chair of Materials Physics, University of Stuttgart, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
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McCarroll I, Bagot P, Devaraj A, Perea D, Cairney J. New frontiers in atom probe tomography: a review of research enabled by cryo and/or vacuum transfer systems. MATERIALS TODAY. ADVANCES 2020; 7:100090. [PMID: 33103106 PMCID: PMC7581275 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtadv.2020.100090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
There has been a recent surge in the use of cryo and/or vacuum specimen preparation and transfer systems to broaden the scope of research enabled by the microscopy technique of atom probe tomography. This is driven by the fact that, as for many microscopes, the application of atom probes to air- and temperature-sensitive materials or wet biological specimens has previously been limited by transfer through air at room temperature. Here we provide an overview of areas of research that benefit from these new transfer and analysis protocols, as well as a review of current advances in transfer devices, environmental cells, and glove boxes for controlled specimen manipulation. This includes the study of catalysis and corrosion, biological samples, liquid-solid interfaces, natural aging, and the distribution of hydrogen in materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- I.E. McCarroll
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Sydney, Madsen Building F09, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - P.A.J. Bagot
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PH, United Kingdom
| | - A. Devaraj
- Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Richland, WA 99352, USA
| | - D.E. Perea
- Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999 Richland, WA 99352, USA
| | - J.M. Cairney
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Sydney, Madsen Building F09, NSW 2006, Australia
- School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Corresponding author. (J.M. Cairney)
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18
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Qiu S, Garg V, Zhang S, Chen Y, Li J, Taylor A, Marceau RKW, Fu J. Graphene encapsulation enabled high-throughput atom probe tomography of liquid specimens. Ultramicroscopy 2020; 216:113036. [PMID: 32540722 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2020.113036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
A new method for imaging liquid specimens with atom probe tomography (APT) is proposed by introducing graphene encapsulation. By tuning the encapsulation speed and the number of encapsulations, controllable volumes of liquid can be encapsulated on a pre-sharpened specimen tip, with the end radius less than 75 nm to allow field ionization and evaporation. Encapsulation of liquid has been confirmed by using various characterization techniques, including electron microscopy and stimulated emission depletion microscopy. The graphene-encapsulated liquid specimen was then directly frozen at the cryogenic stage inside the atom probe instrument, followed by APT imaging in laser-pulsed mode. Using water as a test example, water-related ions have been identified in the acquired mass spectrum, which are spatially correlated to a reconstructed three-dimensional volume of water on top of the base specimen tip, as clearly revealed in the chemical maps. In addition, the proposed method has also been shown to produce multiple liquid specimens simultaneously on a pre-sharpened silicon micro-tip array for high-throughput APT imaging of liquid specimens. It is expected that the proposed lift-out-free method for preparing APT specimens in their hydrated state will open a new avenue for obtaining insights into various materials at atomic resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Qiu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC3800, Australia
| | - Vivek Garg
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC3800, Australia; IITB-Monash Research Academy, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Shuo Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC3800, Australia
| | - Yu Chen
- Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, Monash University, Clayton, VIC3800, Australia
| | - Jian Li
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC3800, Australia; Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC3800, Australia
| | - Adam Taylor
- Deakin University, Institute for Frontier Materials, Geelong, VIC3216, Australia
| | - Ross K W Marceau
- Deakin University, Institute for Frontier Materials, Geelong, VIC3216, Australia.
| | - Jing Fu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC3800, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, VIC3800, Australia.
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19
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Qiu S, Zheng C, Garg V, Chen Y, Gervinskas G, Li J, Dunstone MA, Marceau RKW, Fu J. Three-Dimensional Chemical Mapping of a Single Protein in the Hydrated State with Atom Probe Tomography. Anal Chem 2020; 92:5168-5177. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b05668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shi Qiu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Changxi Zheng
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Vivek Garg
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- IITB-Monash Research Academy, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India
| | - Yu Chen
- Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Gediminas Gervinskas
- Monash Ramaciotti Centre for Cryo Electron Microscopy, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Jian Li
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Michelle A. Dunstone
- Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Ross K. W. Marceau
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
| | - Jing Fu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
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20
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Kim SH, Lim J, Sahu R, Kasian O, Stephenson LT, Scheu C, Gault B. Direct Imaging of Dopant and Impurity Distributions in 2D MoS 2. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2020; 32:e1907235. [PMID: 31930769 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201907235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2 ) nanosheet is a two-dimensional (2D) material with high electron mobility and with high potential for applications in catalysis and electronics. MoS2 nanosheets are synthesized using a one-pot wet-chemical synthesis route with and without Re doping. Atom probe tomography reveals that 3.8 at% Re is homogeneously distributed within the Re-doped sheets. Other impurities are also found integrated within the material: light elements including C, N, O, and Na, locally enriched up to 0.1 at%, as well as heavy elements such as V and W. Analysis of the nondoped sample reveals that the W and V likely originate from the Mo precursor. It is shown how wet-chemical synthesis results in an uncontrolled integration of species from the solution that can affect the material's activity. The results of this work are expected to contribute to an improved understanding of the relationships linking composition to properties of 2D transition-metal dichalcogenide materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se-Ho Kim
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH, Max-Planck-Straße 1, Düsseldorf, 40237, Germany
| | - Joohyun Lim
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH, Max-Planck-Straße 1, Düsseldorf, 40237, Germany
| | - Rajib Sahu
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH, Max-Planck-Straße 1, Düsseldorf, 40237, Germany
| | - Olga Kasian
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH, Max-Planck-Straße 1, Düsseldorf, 40237, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin GmbH, Helmholtz-Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg, Berlin, 14109, Germany
| | - Leigh T Stephenson
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH, Max-Planck-Straße 1, Düsseldorf, 40237, Germany
| | - Christina Scheu
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH, Max-Planck-Straße 1, Düsseldorf, 40237, Germany
| | - Baptiste Gault
- Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH, Max-Planck-Straße 1, Düsseldorf, 40237, Germany
- Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2BP, UK
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Sundell G, Hulander M, Pihl A, Andersson M. Atom Probe Tomography for 3D Structural and Chemical Analysis of Individual Proteins. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2019; 15:e1900316. [PMID: 31058464 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201900316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Determination of the 3D structure of proteins and other biomolecules is a major goal in structural biology, to provide insights to their biological function. Such structures are historically unveiled experimentally by X-ray crystallography or NMR spectroscopy, and in recent years using cryo-electron microscopy. Here, a method for structural analysis of individual proteins on the sub-nanometer scale using atom probe tomography is described. This technique offers a combination of high-resolution analysis of biomolecules in 3D, and the chemical sensitivity of mass spectrometry. As a model protein, the well-characterized antibody IgG is used. IgG is encapsulated in an amorphous solid silica matrix via a sol-gel process to provide the requisite support for atom probe analysis. The silica synthesis is tuned to resemble physiological conditions. The 3D reconstructions show good agreement with the protein databank IgG crystal structure. This suggests that the silica-embedding strategy can open the field of atom probe tomography to the analysis of biological molecules. In addition to high-resolution structural information, the technique may potentially provide chemical information on the atomic scale using isotopic labeling. It is envisaged that this method may constitute a useful complement to existing tools in structural biology, particularly for the examination of proteins with low propensity for crystallization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustav Sundell
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, 41296, Sweden
| | - Mats Hulander
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, 41296, Sweden
| | - Astrid Pihl
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, 41296, Sweden
| | - Martin Andersson
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, 41296, Sweden
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22
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Kim SH, Lee JY, Ahn JP, Choi PP. Fabrication of Atom Probe Tomography Specimens from Nanoparticles Using a Fusible Bi-In-Sn Alloy as an Embedding Medium. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2019; 25:438-446. [PMID: 30714553 DOI: 10.1017/s1431927618015556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We propose a new method for preparing atom probe tomography specimens from nanoparticles using a fusible bismuth-indium-tin alloy as an embedding medium. Iron nanoparticles synthesized by the sodium borohydride reduction method were chosen as a model system. The as-synthesized iron nanoparticles were embedded within the fusible alloy using focused ion beam milling and ion-milled to needle-shaped atom probe specimens under cryogenic conditions. An atom probe analysis revealed boron atoms in a detected iron nanoparticle, indicating that boron from the sodium borohydride reductant was incorporated into the nanoparticle during its synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se-Ho Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering,Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST),291 Daehak-ro,Yuseong-gu,Daejeon 34141,Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Yeong Lee
- Advanced Analysis Center,Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST),Seoul 136-791,Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Pyoung Ahn
- Advanced Analysis Center,Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST),Seoul 136-791,Republic of Korea
| | - Pyuck-Pa Choi
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering,Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST),291 Daehak-ro,Yuseong-gu,Daejeon 34141,Republic of Korea
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Visualizing the iron atom exchange front in the Fe(II)-catalyzed recrystallization of goethite by atom probe tomography. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:2866-2874. [PMID: 30733289 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1816620116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The autocatalytic redox interaction between aqueous Fe(II) and Fe(III)-(oxyhydr)oxide minerals such as goethite and hematite leads to rapid recrystallization marked, in principle, by an atom exchange (AE) front, according to bulk iron isotopic tracer studies. However, direct evidence for this AE front has been elusive given the analytical challenges of mass-resolved imaging at the nanoscale on individual crystallites. We report successful isolation and characterization of the AE front in goethite microrods by 3D atom probe tomography (APT). The microrods were reacted with Fe(II) enriched in tracer 57Fe at conditions consistent with prior bulk studies. APT analyses and 3D reconstructions on cross-sections of the microrods reveal an AE front that is spatially heterogeneous, at times penetrating several nanometers into the lattice, in a manner consistent with defect-accelerated exchange. Evidence for exchange along microstructural domain boundaries was also found, suggesting another important link between exchange extent and initial defect content. The findings provide an unprecedented view into the spatial and temporal characteristics of Fe(II)-catalyzed recrystallization at the atomic scale, and substantiate speculation regarding the role of defects controlling the dynamics of electron transfer and AE interaction at this important redox interface.
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A near atomic-scale view at the composition of amyloid-beta fibrils by atom probe tomography. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17615. [PMID: 30514971 PMCID: PMC6279744 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36110-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-beta (Ab) proteins play an important role in a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Ab is found in senile plaques in brains of Alzeimer’s disease patients. The 42 residues of the monomer form dimers which stack to fibrils gaining several micrometers in length. Using Ab fibrils with 13C and 15N marker substitution, we developed an innovative approach to obtain insights to structural and chemical information of the protein. We deposited the modified protein fibrils to pre-sharped aluminium needles with >100-nm apex diameters and, using the position-sensitive mass-to-charge spectrometry technique of atom probe tomography, we acquired the chemically-resolved three dimensional information for every detected ion evaporated in small fragments from the protein. We also discuss the influence of experimental parameters such as pulse energy and pulse frequency of the used Laser beam which lead to differences in the size of the gained fragments, developing the capability of localising metal atom within Ab plaques.
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Kim SH, Kang PW, Park OO, Seol JB, Ahn JP, Lee JY, Choi PP. A new method for mapping the three-dimensional atomic distribution within nanoparticles by atom probe tomography (APT). Ultramicroscopy 2018; 190:30-38. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2018.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Revised: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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26
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Preliminary Data on the Nanoscale Chemical Characterization of the Inter-Crystalline Organic Matrix of a Calcium Carbonate Biomineral. MINERALS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/min8060223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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27
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Wu B, Siglreitmeier M, Debus C, Schwahn D, Cölfen H, Pipich V. Ionic Dependence of Gelatin Hydrogel Architecture Explored Using Small and Very Small Angle Neutron Scattering Technique. Macromol Biosci 2018; 18:e1800018. [PMID: 29736987 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.201800018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The hierarchical structure of gelatin hydrogels mimics a natural extracellular matrix and provides an optimized microenvironment for the growth of 3D structured tissue analogs. In the presence of metal ions, gelatin hydrogels exhibit various mechanical properties that are correlated with the molecular interactions and the hierarchical structure. The structure and structural response of gelatin hydrogels to variation of gelatin concentration, pH, or addition of metal ions are explored by small and very small angle neutron scattering over broad length scales. The measurements of the hydrogels reveal the existence of a two-level structure of colloid-like large clusters and a 3D cage-like gel network. In the presence of Fe3+ ions the hydrogels show a highly dense and stiff network, while Ca2+ ions have an opposite effect. The results provide important structural insight for improvement of the design of gelatin based hydrogels and are therefore suitable for various applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baohu Wu
- Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Lichtenbergstr. 1, 85748, Garching, Germany.,Department of Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Universitaetsstr 10, Konstanz, 78457, Germany
| | - Maria Siglreitmeier
- Department of Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Universitaetsstr 10, Konstanz, 78457, Germany
| | - Christian Debus
- Department of Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Universitaetsstr 10, Konstanz, 78457, Germany
| | - Dietmar Schwahn
- Forschungs-Neutronenquelle Heinz Maier-Leibnitz (FRM II), Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr 1, Garching, 85748, Germany
| | - Helmut Cölfen
- Department of Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Universitaetsstr 10, Konstanz, 78457, Germany
| | - Vitaliy Pipich
- Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Lichtenbergstr. 1, 85748, Garching, Germany
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28
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Michalek L, Barner L, Barner-Kowollik C. Polymer on Top: Current Limits and Future Perspectives of Quantitatively Evaluating Surface Grafting. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2018; 30:e1706321. [PMID: 29512237 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201706321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Well-defined polymer strands covalently tethered onto solid substrates determine the properties of the resulting functional interface. Herein, the current approaches to determine quantitative grafting densities are assessed. Based on a brief introduction into the key theories describing polymer brush regimes, a user's guide is provided to estimating maximum chain coverage and-importantly-examine the most frequently employed approaches for determining grafting densities, i.e., dry thickness measurements, gravimetric assessment, and swelling experiments. An estimation of the reliability of these determination methods is provided via carefully evaluating their assumptions and assessing the stability of the underpinning equations. A practical access guide for comparatively and quantitatively evaluating the reliability of a given approach is thus provided, enabling the field to critically judge experimentally determined grafting densities and to avoid the reporting of grafting densities that fall outside the physically realistic parameter space. The assessment is concluded with a perspective on the development of advanced approaches for determination of grafting density, in particular, on single-chain methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Michalek
- School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Institute for Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
| | - Leonie Barner
- School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Institute for Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
- Institute for Biological Interfaces, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Christopher Barner-Kowollik
- School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Institute for Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia
- Macromolecular Architectures, Institut für Technische Chemie und Polymerchemie, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Engesserstr. 18, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
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29
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Li FY, Koopal L, Tan WF. Effect of citrate on the species and levels of Al impurities in ferrihydrite. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Binkley DM, Grandfield K. Advances in Multiscale Characterization Techniques of Bone and Biomaterials Interfaces. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2017; 4:3678-3690. [PMID: 33429593 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.7b00420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The success of osseointegrated biomaterials often depends on the functional interface between the implant and mineralized bone tissue. Several parallels between natural and synthetic interfaces exist on various length scales from the microscale toward the cellular and the atomic scale structure. Interest lies in the development of more sophisticated methods to probe these hierarchical levels in tissues at both biomaterials interfaces and natural tissue interphases. This review will highlight new and emerging perspectives toward understanding mineralized tissues, particularly bone tissue, and interfaces between bone and engineered biomaterials at multilength scales and with multidimensionality. Emphasis will be placed on highlighting novel and correlative X-ray, ion, and electron beam imaging approaches, such as electron tomography, atom probe tomography, and in situ microscopies, as well as spectroscopic and mechanical characterizations. These less conventional approaches to imaging biomaterials are contributing to the evolution of the understanding of the structure and organization in bone and bone integrating materials.
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Pulsed-voltage atom probe tomography of low conductivity and insulator materials by application of ultrathin metallic coating on nanoscale specimen geometry. Ultramicroscopy 2017; 181:150-159. [PMID: 28558288 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2017.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Revised: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We present a novel approach for analysis of low-conductivity and insulating materials with conventional pulsed-voltage atom probe tomography (APT), by incorporating an ultrathin metallic coating on focused ion beam prepared needle-shaped specimens. Finite element electrostatic simulations of coated atom probe specimens were performed, which suggest remarkable improvement in uniform voltage distribution and subsequent field evaporation of the insulated samples with a metallic coating of approximately 10nm thickness. Using design of experiment technique, an experimental investigation was performed to study physical vapor deposition coating of needle specimens with end tip radii less than 100nm. The final geometries of the coated APT specimens were characterized with high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, and an empirical model was proposed to determine the optimal coating thickness for a given specimen size. The optimal coating strategy was applied to APT specimens of resin embedded Au nanospheres. Results demonstrate that the optimal coating strategy allows unique pulsed-voltage atom probe analysis and 3D imaging of biological and insulated samples.
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Perea DE, Gerstl SSA, Chin J, Hirschi B, Evans JE. An environmental transfer hub for multimodal atom probe tomography. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 3:12. [PMID: 28529842 PMCID: PMC5413530 DOI: 10.1186/s40679-017-0045-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Environmental control during transfer between instruments is required for samples sensitive to air or thermal exposure to prevent morphological or chemical changes prior to analysis. Atom probe tomography is a rapidly expanding technique for three-dimensional structural and chemical analysis, but commercial instruments remain limited to loading specimens under ambient conditions. In this study, we describe a multifunctional environmental transfer hub allowing controlled cryogenic or room-temperature transfer of specimens under atmospheric or vacuum pressure conditions between an atom probe and other instruments or reaction chambers. The utility of the environmental transfer hub is demonstrated through the acquisition of previously unavailable mass spectral analysis of an intact organic molecule made possible via controlled cryogenic transfer into the atom probe using the hub. The ability to prepare and transfer specimens in precise environments promises a means to access new science across many disciplines from untainted samples and allow downstream time-resolved in situ atom probe studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Perea
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 3335 Innovation Boulevard, Richland, WA 99354 USA
| | - Stephan S A Gerstl
- Scientific Center for Optical and Electron Microscopy (ScopeM), ETH Zurich, Auguste-Piccard-Hof 1, Zurich, 8093 Switzerland
| | - Jackson Chin
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 3335 Innovation Boulevard, Richland, WA 99354 USA
| | - Blake Hirschi
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 3335 Innovation Boulevard, Richland, WA 99354 USA
| | - James E Evans
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 3335 Innovation Boulevard, Richland, WA 99354 USA
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Prosa TJ, Larson DJ. Modern Focused-Ion-Beam-Based Site-Specific Specimen Preparation for Atom Probe Tomography. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2017; 23:194-209. [PMID: 28162119 DOI: 10.1017/s1431927616012642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Approximately 30 years after the first use of focused ion beam (FIB) instruments to prepare atom probe tomography specimens, this technique has grown to be used by hundreds of researchers around the world. This past decade has seen tremendous advances in atom probe applications, enabled by the continued development of FIB-based specimen preparation methodologies. In this work, we provide a short review of the origin of the FIB method and the standard methods used today for lift-out and sharpening, using the annular milling method as applied to atom probe tomography specimens. Key steps for enabling correlative analysis with transmission electron-beam backscatter diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and atom probe tomography are presented, and strategies for preparing specimens for modern microelectronic device structures are reviewed and discussed in detail. Examples are used for discussion of the steps for each of these methods. We conclude with examples of the challenges presented by complex topologies such as nanowires, nanoparticles, and organic materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ty J Prosa
- Cameca Instruments Inc.,5500 Nobel Drive,Madison,WI 53711,USA
| | - David J Larson
- Cameca Instruments Inc.,5500 Nobel Drive,Madison,WI 53711,USA
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Branson O, Bonnin EA, Perea DE, Spero HJ, Zhu Z, Winters M, Hönisch B, Russell AD, Fehrenbacher JS, Gagnon AC. Nanometer-Scale Chemistry of a Calcite Biomineralization Template: Implications for Skeletal Composition and Nucleation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:12934-12939. [PMID: 27794119 PMCID: PMC5135321 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1522864113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Plankton, corals, and other organisms produce calcium carbonate skeletons that are integral to their survival, form a key component of the global carbon cycle, and record an archive of past oceanographic conditions in their geochemistry. A key aspect of the formation of these biominerals is the interaction between organic templating structures and mineral precipitation processes. Laboratory-based studies have shown that these atomic-scale processes can profoundly influence the architecture and composition of minerals, but their importance in calcifying organisms is poorly understood because it is difficult to measure the chemistry of in vivo biomineral interfaces at spatially relevant scales. Understanding the role of templates in biomineral nucleation, and their importance in skeletal geochemistry requires an integrated, multiscale approach, which can place atom-scale observations of organic-mineral interfaces within a broader structural and geochemical context. Here we map the chemistry of an embedded organic template structure within a carbonate skeleton of the foraminifera Orbulina universa using both atom probe tomography (APT), a 3D chemical imaging technique with Ångström-level spatial resolution, and time-of-flight secondary ionization mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), a 2D chemical imaging technique with submicron resolution. We quantitatively link these observations, revealing that the organic template in O. universa is uniquely enriched in both Na and Mg, and contributes to intraskeletal chemical heterogeneity. Our APT analyses reveal the cation composition of the organic surface, offering evidence to suggest that cations other than Ca2+, previously considered passive spectator ions in biomineral templating, may be important in defining the energetics of carbonate nucleation on organic templates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Branson
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616;
| | - Elisa A Bonnin
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
| | - Daniel E Perea
- Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352
| | - Howard J Spero
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616;
| | - Zihua Zhu
- Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352
| | - Maria Winters
- Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352
| | - Bärbel Hönisch
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964
| | - Ann D Russell
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Jennifer S Fehrenbacher
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331
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