TEM Sample Preparation

Due to the strong interaction between electrons and matter, the specimens have to be rather thin (≪ 1000 nm) for TEM investigation. Thus, bulk materials have to be thinned to make them electron transparent. This is done either by simply crushing them and subsequently depositing some fragments on a carbon foil or by mechanical grinding and ion milling. Nanoparticles of course are thin enough for direct observation.

TEM specimens of nanotubes are obtained in two different ways, namely either to investigate their longitudinal or cross-sectional structure.