Correlate structural, chemical, and electrical changes with simultaneous closed-loop MEMS heating above 1000 °C and electrical biasing during in-situ synchrotron X-ray experiments
High-Temperature Heating and Biasing Inside the X-ray Microscope
The Hummingbird Scientific X-ray MEMS Heating + Biasing Sample Holder enables simultaneous high-temperature heating and electrical biasing during in-situ X-ray microscopy and spectroscopy experiments. Microfabricated MEMS chips deliver closed-loop heating above 1000 °C with on-chip temperature sensing, while nine direct-chip electrical contacts support electrical biasing and measurements. Screw-free direct MEMS chip loading simplifies sample exchange and provides fast, repeatable electrical and thermal connections, streamlining high-temperature in-situ X-ray microscopy workflows.
Designed for Operando Materials Research and Device Characterization
The system supports operando studies of semiconductor devices, battery materials, catalysts, phase-change materials, low-dimensional materials, nanoparticles, and thin films. Simultaneous heating and electrical biasing enable direct correlation of temperature-dependent surface morphology, chemical composition, and electrical response during phase transformations, electrical transport, degradation, diffusion, and failure analysis.
Built for Evolving Research Needs
From routine characterization to application-specific experiments, the platform is engineered to expand experimental capability as research evolves. The holder is optimized for versatilty in a wide array of high-resolution X-ray synchrotron beamline endstation configurations wherein multiple unique detectors including scattered and transmission are oriented around the sample stage inside of a high-vacuum chamber. Standard MEMS Heating, Electrical Biasing, Heating + Biasing, and FIB lift-out MEMS chips support a broad range of experimental requirements, while cross-compatible MEMS chips enable seamless workflows across Hummingbird's X-ray microscopy, TEM, and SEM platforms. Custom MEMS chip designs further extend the platform to support emerging materials, novel device architectures, and specialized in-situ microscopy applications.
Hummingbird Advantages:
- Reduce setup time and improve repeatability with industry-leading screw-free direct MEMS chip insertion.
- Observe high-temperature material transformations with closed-loop MEMS heating above 1000 °C and on-chip temperature sensing.
- Correlate structural, chemical, and electrical changes using nine direct-chip electrical contacts for simultaneous biasing and electrical measurement.
- Characterize advanced electronic devices and materials using high-voltage and high-frequency electrical biasing with specialized cabling and sample carriers.
- Expand experimental possibilities with FIB lift-out chips, multiple electrode materials and geometries, and custom MEMS chip designs.
- Adapt holder, chip, and electrical configurations for custom X-ray microscope or synchrotron workflows.
- Compatible with TEM, SEM, and X-ray microscopy workflows using cross-platform microfabricated chips.
How it Works
The X-ray MEMS Heating + Biasing Sample Holder combines Hummingbird Scientific's in-house microfabricated MEMS chips, direct electrical contacts, and closed-loop temperature control to create a stable platform for simultaneous in-situ heating and electrical biasing inside the X-ray microscope or beamline. Samples are mounted directly onto a MEMS chip and inserted into the holder using a screw-free loading mechanism, enabling fast, reproducible experiment setup.
During operation, the MEMS microheater delivers temperatures up to above 1000 °C, while on-chip 4-point resistance sensing enables closed-loop temperature control for stable real-time imaging and analysis. Heating + Biasing MEMS chips support simultaneous thermal and electrical stimulation, while biasing MEMS chips dedicate all nine contacts to electrical measurements when heating is not required.
Key Features and Capabilities
Load MEMS chips quickly with reliable electrical contact and simplified experiment setup
Perform low-noise in-situ electrical measurements with nine direct chip electrical contacts and individually shielded coaxial cables
Achieve stable high-temperature experiments with rapid MEMS heating and precise temperature control alonsgide concurrent biasing
Keep experiments moving with in-stock MEMS chips for heating, electrical biasing, and advanced in-situ X-ray characterization
Configure the holder for seamless integration with synchrotron beamlines and laboratory X-ray microscopy systems
Correlate heating, electrical biasing, and imaging data across TEM, SEM, and X-ray microscopy platforms
Built for Diverse Research Applications
Software
Spend less time managing equipment and more time generating results. Hummingbird Control™ Software provides intuitive control of heating and biasing functions, including temperature set points, closed-loop heating behavior, and voltage sweep workflows when configured with the system.
Hummingbird Connect™ can support the broader software strategy by connecting holder operation, microscope context, imaging workflows, and experiment metadata. Together, these tools help improve setup, reproducibility, experiment organization, and long-term usability for in-situ heating and biasing workflows inside an X-ray microscope or beamline.
Built on Engineering Excellence
Hummingbird Scientific designs, machines, assembles, tests, and services its products in-house. Our integrated in-house engineering, precision manufacturing, microfabrication, software development, applications, and service teams enable rapid prototyping and iteration, custom modifications, and direct technical support throughout the life of the instrument. This vertically integrated approach allows researchers to adapt experimental platforms to unique scientific requirements while maintaining the performance and reliability required for advanced in-situ microscopy experiments.
The X-ray MEMS Heating + Biasing Sample Holder reflects this engineering approach by combining MEMS-based heating, electrical biasing, and integrated holder, chip, and controller technologies into a unified platform for reproducible operando in-situ X-ray microscopy and spectroscopy experiments and advanced materials characterization.
Need something unique? Our engineers can customize existing products or develop new solutions to support specialized MEMS chip designs, electrical configurations, sample geometries, and emerging research challenges.
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