Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

At the MLZ in Garching, JCNS undertakes cryotransmission electron microscopy JEOL2200FS with extensive equipment for preparing samples (e.g. cryoplunge, ultramicrotome, freeze fracture, vaporisation). This is seen to be crucial in the support of small angle studies.

As SANS delivers representative and quantitative mean value measurements and usually produces angle averaged scattering curves, TEM delivers direct images of the object in the sample. However, these are individual realizations and may be altered during sample preparation.

The combination of both methods is a powerful tool that aids TEM in selecting the correct structure model, and a good fit of suitable model parameters at the SANS data can deliver quantitative values under actual sample conditions.