Recreate realistic reaction environments inside your TEM with integrated optical illumination, precise gas delivery, closed-loop heating beyond 1000 °C, electrical biasing, and atomic-resolution imaging to investigate light-stimulated gas–solid transformations
Controlled Gas Environment with Integrated Optical Illumination for In-Situ TEM
The TEM Optical Gas Heating Sample Holder enables in-situ TEM and STEM imaging under controlled gas environments with integrated optical illumination. A sealed environmental cell with electron-transparent silicon nitride (SiN) windows supports gas flow up to 2 bar and closed-loop MEMS heating beyond 1000 °C. Integrated fiber-optic illumination delivers light directly to the MEMS chip, maximizing optical intensity at the sample while minimizing transmission losses. The holder supports compatible microfabricated MEMS chips for heating and electrical biasing, with optional multi-channel gas delivery for controlled gas mixing and advanced in-situ TEM studies.
Built for Photo-Assisted Gas-Phase Research
Designed for researchers in materials science, chemistry, catalysis, energy conversion, environmental science, and nanotechnology, the platform supports investigations of photocatalysis, optoelectronics, photochemistry, photovoltaics, semiconductor materials, plasmonic nanostructures, gas-sensing materials, and other optically stimulated materials processes under controlled gaseous environments.
Correlate Optical Stimuli with Gas–Solid Transformations
Optical illumination can modify reaction pathways, charge-carrier dynamics, and catalyst behavior in ways that are difficult to capture using conventional characterization techniques. By combining optical illumination, controlled gas composition, heating, and electrical biasing within a single experiment, researchers can directly correlate structural evolution with optical, thermal, and electrical stimuli to reveal the mechanisms governing material performance, stability, and degradation.
Hummingbird Advantages:
- Combine optical illumination, controlled gas flow, MEMS heating, and electrical biasing within a single in-situ TEM experiment.
- Deliver optical illumination directly to the specimen through an integrated fiber-optic architecture for efficient light coupling to the gas-cell.
- Features screw-free gas-cell assembly with self-aligning windows for fast, reproducible sample loading.
- Observe high-temperature gas-phase material transformations with closed-loop MEMS heating above 1000 °C and on-chip temperature sensing.
- Preserve analytical performance with full EELS and EDS compatibility.
- Choose from a broad range of microfabricated chips with multiple heater configurations, window dimensions, and electrode materials to match your experiment.
- Compatible with TEM, SEM, and X-ray microscopy workflows using cross-platform microfabricated chips.
- Support photocatalysis, photo-assisted catalysis, semiconductor materials, plasmonic nanostructures, gas sensing, and energy conversion research.
Available For:
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How it Works
The TEM Optical Gas Heating Sample Holder integrates fiber-optic illumination, a sealed environmental cell, multifunctional microfabricated MEMS chips, electrical biasing, and dedicated control hardware into a unified platform for photo-assisted in-situ TEM and STEM experiments. An optical fiber is integrated into the holder tip, delivering light directly adjacent to the gas-cell to maximize optical intensity at the specimen while minimizing transmission losses. This architecture enables efficient illumination using standard laboratory light sources while preserving high-resolution TEM/STEM imaging and analytical performance.
The specimen is enclosed within a sealed environmental cell formed by two microfabricated silicon chips with electron-transparent silicon nitride (SiN) windows. Controlled gas flow up to 2 bar, closed-loop MEMS heating beyond 1000 °C, integrated four-point temperature sensing, and electrical biasing can be applied simultaneously during imaging. Compatible MEMS chips and optional multi-channel gas delivery enable researchers to correlate optical, thermal, and electrical stimuli with atomic-scale structural and chemical evolution during in-situ gas-phase TEM experiments.
Key Features and Capabilities
Illuminate photo-sensitive samples through fiber optic access during in-situ gas-cell TEM experiments
Achieve reproducible gas-cell assembly with self-aligning windows and a screw-free sealing design
Perform temperature-controlled gas-phase TEM with homogeneous MEMS heating above 1000 °C, 4-point on-chip temperature sensing, and near-drift-free imaging
Control gas pressure from high vacuum to 2 bar using one experimental gas and a dedicated purge line for reliable, repeatable gas-phase TEM experiments
Perform correlative spectroscopy and microscopy for detailed in-situ elemental analysis
Protect your TEM during gas-cell experiments and streamline setup with rapid high-vacuum seal checking and optical inspection
Keep experiments moving with in-stock gas-cell TEM chips designed for gas flow, heating, sample biasing, and multimodal microscopy workflows
Unlock superior control of gas composition with on-the-fly mixing of up to eight gases and real-time output gas analysis
Built for Diverse Research Applications
Software
Spend less time managing equipment and more time generating results. Hummingbird Connect™ integrates with microscope and laboratory software platforms to simplify experiment setup, streamline workflows, and keep your data organized from acquisition through analysis.
To help you get the most from your gas-cell holder, Hummingbird Control™ Software provides intuitive and precise control of closed loop gas heating. Together, these software solutions enable faster setup, improved reproducibility, and more efficient gas-phase TEM experiments.
Built on Engineering Excellence
Hummingbird Scientific designs, machines, assembles, tests, and services its products in-house. Our integrated engineering, machining, 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 TEM Optical Gas Heating Sample Holder is a direct result of these capabilities, combining controlled gas delivery, fiber-optic illumination, MEMS heating, electrical biasing, and experimental workflows into a single platform for reproducible in-situ photo-assisted gas-phase TEM experiments.
Need something unique? Our engineers can customize existing products or develop entirely new solutions to support specialized experiments and emerging research challenges.
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