The TEM Air-Free Transfer Sample Holder is a sealed transfer holder that enables air-sensitive materials to be transferred from an inert atmosphere glovebox to the TEM without atmospheric exposure. Two dedicated holder variants are available: one for conventional TEM/STEM imaging using 3 mm TEM grids, and another for in-situ experiments using MEMS heating and electrical biasing chips with 9 electrical contacts. Together, they enable characterization of highly reactive materials in their native state.
Investigate air-sensitive materials including lithium and other alkali metals, solid-state batteries, catalysts, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), quantum materials, metal hydrides, and other reactive nanomaterials in their native pristine states. By maintaining air-free conditions from glovebox to TEM, the holder enables accurate structural, chemical, and analytical characterization of materials that rapidly oxidize, hydrate, or degrade upon atmospheric exposure.
For many reactive materials, even brief atmospheric exposure can alter surfaces, interfaces, and electrochemical states before characterization begins. By maintaining a protected transfer environment, the holder enables more representative analysis and greater confidence that observed material behavior reflects intrinsic properties rather than artifacts introduced during sample handling. An optional MEMS heating and electrical biasing configuration further extends these capabilities, enabling controlled thermal and electrical in-situ experiments on air-sensitive materials while preserving their initial state.
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The TEM Air-Free Transfer Sample Holder integrates a sealed transfer mechanism with dedicated holder platforms for conventional 3 mm TEM grids or MEMS heating and electrical biasing chips. Samples are prepared inside an inert atmosphere glovebox before being mounted onto the appropriate substrate and loaded into the holder. The transfer tip is then sealed under either high vacuum or an inert gas atmosphere for transfer to the TEM.
Once loaded, the holder seals the specimen under either high vacuum or an inert gas atmosphere, allowing it to be transferred to the TEM without exposure to oxygen or moisture. After the holder is inserted into the microscope, the sealed transfer tip is opened inside the TEM vacuum, preserving the specimen's pristine native state until characterization begins.
The 3 mm grid holder supports conventional TEM/STEM imaging and compatible analytical techniques, while the MEMS holder enables controlled in-situ heating up to above 1000 °C and electrical biasing experiments on preserved specimens. Together, these dedicated holder platforms allow researchers to investigate highly reactive materials without compromising their initial state prior to imaging or controlled stimulation.
Protect air-sensitive specimens during glovebox-to-TEM transfer using sealed high-vacuum or inert-gas environments
Dedicated holder variants support 3 mm TEM grids for routine characterization or MEMS chips for advanced in-situ heating and electrical biasing experiments
Perform low-noise in-situ electrical measurements using up to nine direct chip electrical contacts with individually shielded coaxial connections
Keep experiments moving with in-stock MEMS chips for heating, electrical biasing, and advanced in-situ TEM characterization
Perform variable-temperature in-situ experiments on air-sensitive materials with integrated MEMS heating to >1000 °C
Longterm behavior (a) Specific discharge capacity vs cycle number for a Cr-LiF cathode cycled at 1C (black) and 5C (teal). Coulombic efficiency is shown for all cycles on the right axis. (b) Nyquist representation of PEIS spectra taken after different cycle numbers. (c) Resistance vs cycle number for fitted resistance values of the LiPON, RC1,and RC2 contributions. The equivalent circuit used to fit the PEIS spectra is shown. (d) STEM-EDX maps of Cr, F, and Ti for samples after 25 cycles and 1564 cycles at 1C (shown as stars on panel(a)).
Inert transfer of air-sensitive Cr-LiF thin film cathodes for in-situ electrical cycling under TEM
The TEM Biasing Air-free Transfer sample holder was used to transfer air-sensitive, lithiated Cr-LiF thin film cathodes to the TEM for in-situ electrical cycling. Co-evaporation was used to fabricate heterogeneous two-phase chromium-based transition metal fluoride (TMF) thin films with tunable stoichiometric ratios for lithium-ion solid state battery development. A Cr–LiF cathode (1.1:2) showed strong thin-film performance, with better high-rate behavior than Fe–LiF cathodes. Extended cycling formed a new nanostructure that improved kinetics with some capacity loss, resulting in stable operation over hundreds of cycles.
Reference: Joel Casella, et al, Communications Materials (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s43246-026-01121-0
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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 software tools help improve reproducibility, experiment setup, data organization, and long-term usability for in-situ TEM heating and biasing experiments.
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 enables rapid prototyping and iteration, custom modifications, and direct technical support throughout the life of the instrument.
The TEM Air-Free Transfer Specimen Holder is a direct result of these capabilities. By combining sealed air-free transfer technology, precision holder design, and specialized sample platforms into a unified solution, it enables reliable characterization of oxygen- and moisture-sensitive materials. Dedicated 3 mm grid and MEMS heating and electrical biasing holder variants extend protected transfer workflows from conventional TEM/STEM imaging to advanced in-situ experiments on highly reactive materials.
Need something unique? Our engineers can customize existing transfer holders or develop new solutions to support specialized sample geometries, transfer interfaces, MEMS chip configurations, and emerging air-free characterization workflows.
