Electron holography observation of electron spin polarization around charged insulating wire.

We report direct observation by electron holography of the spin polarization of electrons in a vacuum region around a charged SiO2 wire coated with Pt-Pd. Irradiating the SiO2 wire with 300-keV electrons caused the wire to become positively charged due to the emission of secondary electrons. The spin polarization of these electrons interacting with the charged wire was observed in situ using a phase reconstruction process under an external magnetic field. The magnetic field of the spin-polarized electrons was simulated taking into account the distribution of secondary electrons and the effect of the external magnetic field.

Time-resolved electron holography and its application to an ionic liquid specimen.

Time-resolved electron holography was implemented in a transmission electron microscope by means of electron beam gating with a parallel-plate electrostatic deflector. Stroboscopic observations were performed by accumulating gated electron interference images while applying a periodic modulation voltage to a specimen. Electric polarization in an ionic liquid specimen was observed under applied fields. While a static electric field in the specimen was reduced by the polarization of the material, an applied field modulated at 10 kHz was not screened. This indicates that time-resolved electron holography is capable of determining the frequency limit of dynamic response of polarization in materials. Graphical Abstract.

Development of a secondary electron energy analyzer for a transmission electron microscope.

A secondary electron (SE) energy analyzer was developed for a transmission electron microscope. The analyzer comprises a microchannel plate (MCP) for detecting electrons, a coil for collecting SEs emitted from the specimen, a tube for reducing the number of backscattered electrons incident on the MCP, and a retarding mesh for selecting the energy of SEs incident on the MCP. The detection of the SEs associated with charging phenomena around a charged specimen was attempted by performing electron holography and SE spectroscopy using the energy analyzer. The results suggest that it is possible to obtain the energy spectra of SEs using the analyzer and the charging states of a specimen by electron holography simultaneously.

Secondary electron effect on electron beam induced charging of SiO2 particle analyzed by electron holography.

Charging of a SiO2 particle induced by electron illumination was investigated by changing the illuminated area of the particle and its support film through control of the position of the mask plate inserted in a transmission electron microscope illumination system. The electric fields around the charged SiO2 particle were analyzed using electron holography. The amount of charge was evaluated quantitatively by comparing the reconstructed phase images with the simulated phase images. When the support film was not covered against the incident electron beam, secondary electrons emitted from the conductive support film were attracted to the charged particle, resulting in particle discharge. In contrast, when the support film was completely covered, secondary electrons were not emitted from the film, so that the particle remained positively charged.

Electron holographic visualization of collective motion of electrons through electric field variation.

This study demonstrates the accumulation of electron-induced secondary electrons by utilizing a simple geometrical configuration of two branches of a charged insulating biomaterial. The collective motion of these secondary electrons between the branches has been visualized by analyzing the reconstructed amplitude images obtained using in situ electron holography. In order to understand the collective motion of secondary electrons, the trajectories of these electrons around the branches have also been simulated by taking into account the electric field around the charged branches on the basis of Maxwell's equations.

Electron holography study of the charging effect in microfibrils of sciatic nerve tissues.

The charging effects of microfibrils of sciatic nerve tissues due to electron irradiation are investigated using electron holography. The phenomenon that the charging effects are enhanced with an increase of electron intensity is visualized through direct observations of the electric potential distribution around the specimen. The electric potential at the surface of the specimen could be quantitatively evaluated by simulation, which takes into account the reference wave modulation due to the long-range electric field.

Multifunctional TEM-specimen holder equipped with a piezodriving probe and an electron irradiation port.

The charging effect due to electron irradiation in an electron microscope has been studied so far with incident electrons. Here we report on a new specimen holder to control the charging effect by using electrons emitted from an irradiation port in the holder while maintaining a constant intensity of the incident electron beam. Details of the charging effect, such as electric field variation, are expected to be investigated by electron holography. The new specimen holder was developed by modifying a double-probe piezodriving specimen holder to introduce an electron irradiation port in one of its two arms. As a result, the new modified specimen holder consists of a piezodriving probe and an electron irradiation port, both of which can be controlled in three dimensions, using piezoelectric elements and micrometers. We demonstrate that variations in the charging effect for epoxy resin and surface contamination can be observed by electron holography.

Suppression of charging effect on collagen fibrils utilizing a conductive probe in TEM.

We investigate the effectiveness of utilizing a conductive probe for a transmission electron microscope (TEM) to suppress charging caused by electron irradiation. To do this, the electric field around a charged collagen fibril was visualized by electron holography and then quantitatively analyzed by computer simulations. The electric field changed noticeably when the conductive probe was moved near the specimen and charging was drastically suppressed when the conductive probe directly touched the charged specimen. The causes of the change in the electric field and suppression of charging are briefly discussed.

Electron holography of magnetic field generated by a magnetic recording head.

The magnetic field generated by a magnetic recording head is evaluated using electron holography. A magnetic recording head, which is connected to an electric current source, is set on the specimen holder of a transmission electron microscope. Reconstructed phase images of the region around the magnetic pole show the change in the magnetic field distribution corresponding to the electric current applied to the coil of the head. A simulation of the magnetic field, which is conducted using the finite element method, reveals good agreement with the experimental observations.

Computer simulation of electric field variations due to movements of electric charges.

Simulations were carried out for the orbit of electron-induced secondary electrons around a charged microfibril of a sciatic nerve tissue. In order to set the parameters for the simulation, the shape of the microfibril was determined from a transmission electron microscopy image, while the electric potential on the surface of the charged microfibril was evaluated from a reconstructed phase image obtained with electron holography. On the other hand, the passing point and the angle of secondary electrons at the microfibril surface were determined from a reconstructed amplitude image. Eventually, simulation of orbits of secondary electrons was carried out by changing the kinetic energy of the secondary electrons. Under the given conditions, the orbit of secondary electrons with a kinetic energy of 29.6 eV fits the observations. If there are thin layers of electrons, the secondary electrons do not reach the surface but they go over it due to the repulsive Coulomb force resulting in successive revolving motion around the charged microfibril. Furthermore, the electric field variation due to the movement of the electric charges resulting from the specimen drift is also discussed briefly comparing it with electron holography data.

Electron holography study of remanence states in exchange-biased MnPd/Fe bilayers grown epitaxially on MgO(001).

We investigated magnetic remanence states of epitaxially grown, exchange-biased MnPd/Fe bilayers by electron holography emphasizing the crystallographic orientations of the layers. Thin-foil transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimens were carefully prepared along both hard and easy axes of the Fe layer. The ex situ magnetization-reversal process was carried out using the TEM specimens, and magnetic flux densities of the ultra-thin Fe layers were evaluated at different remanence states. We show that a spin configuration in the TEM specimens is determined by the competition between an exchange coupling at the MnPd/Fe bilayer interface, shape anisotropy of TEM specimens and intrinsic magnetocrystalline anisotropy of Fe.

In situ Lorentz microscopy in an alternating magnetic field.

An alternating magnetizing system has been developed for in situ Lorentz microscopy for soft magnetic materials in an alternating magnetic field. The electron trajectory in the system is discussed using a simulation based on a simple model. It is clarified that the frequency and amplitude of the alternating magnetic field and the defocus of the objective mini lens can be selected as desired values. The system is successfully applied to the observation of domain wall motion in a soft magnetic material, Fe(84.9)Al(5.5)Si(9.6) (wt%) (Sendust). The system is very promising for investigating interactions between domain walls and lattice defects in various kinds of soft magnetic materials.

Synthesis of amorphous carbon nanoparticles and carbon encapsulated metal nanoparticles in liquid benzene by an electric plasma discharge in ultrasonic cavitation field.

A newly-developed method permits an electric plasma discharge to occur with relatively low electric power in insulating organic solutions due to the presence of an ultrasonic cavitation. A stable electric plasma could be generated in an ultrasonic cavitation field containing a thousand tiny activated bubbles, in which the electric conductivity could be improved due to formed radicals and free electrons, using copper electrodes and a titanium ultrasonic horn. This method allowed us to synthesize pyrolytic amorphous carbon nanoparticles smaller than about 30 nm in diameter from benzene liquid. In addition, we synthesized TiC nanoparticles about 50-150 nm in size, and copper nanoparticles smaller than 10 nm, which were encapsulated in multilayered graphite cages. Finally, we used GC-MS and MALDI-TOF-MS to observe and analyze the polymerized compounds and the degree of polymerization of the benzene liquid after the plasma treatment.