Low Temperature Specimen Method for Electron Diffraction and Electron Microscopy

Abstract

Techniques of low temperature specimen method for electron diffraction and electron microscopy were developed. Convenient low temperature specimen holders were constructed with a sufficient number of freedoms to adjust specimen settings for various observations. The temperature of specimen support could be varied within a range from liquid nitrogen temperature to +200°C. Contaminations of specimen caused by condensation of residual vapours, which usually occur considerably below -80°C, were practically eliminated by improving the vacuum of the apparatus and by the use of a special shield around specimen. Results of preliminary studies on ice and mercury were briefly described: For ice, the contribution of hydrogen atoms to the diffraction pattern of ice was recognized; for mercury, the solid-liquid phase transition was studied by electron diffraction and the growth of hair-like mercury crystallites was observed by electron microscopy.