About CEM4MAT

CEM4MAT aims to visualise and make available the broad, complementary and complementary competences in TEM on materials which exist at the different EM centers in the region. This is very important considering the massive investments already made to build the TEM infrastructure and the long training it takes to become a skilled TEM application specialist.

This initiative is very timely as both Stockholm University and Uppsala University have recently invested in new state-of-the-art TEMs with sub-Ångström resolution. Together we want to make these facilities, and in particular the new TEMs, accessible to researchers from academy and industry in the region as well from other groups in Sweden and beyond. CEM4MAT’s EM facilities are currently utilised by other Swedish academic institutions as well as SMEs and large enterprises. For our industry users the collaboration also brings forward the development of knowledge build-up within these organisations.

The expertise and infrastructure of these institutions and facilities in CEM4MAT complement each other, which means that there is excellence, sometimes world-leading, in most materials related research. This provides a unique combination of depth and breadth in TEM usage; in scientific knowledge, infrastructure, but also in the amazing regional fleet currently being expanded.

CEM4MAT is focused in its aim to build up the TEM based regional research infrastructure and make it accessible and transparent for external and internal users alike. CEM4MAT will highlight and open up access to the high level of scientific competence within materials related TEM studies available in the region. Our goals are to:

• enthuse more researchers to use TEM techniques which best fit their needs, either standard or state-of-the-art TEM
• coordinate master and PhD courses between KTH, SU, and UU
• train and provide specialist supports to both new and more experienced TEM users
• exchange experiences and knowledge between the various facilities and the surrounding community

CEM4MAT organisation, june 2017

CEM4MAT Specialist Competences

Each CEM4MAT node has unique specialist competences. Already at the start of CEM4MAT preparations in November 2016 the Application Specialists formed a tight team with monthly meetings at the different nodes to acknowledge and gain new learnings. This will certainly continue and grow as CEM4MAT matures as a platform of scientific skills and knowledge exchange. Some of the well established, sometimes world leading and unique, skills are listed below:

Techniques & analyses:

• High-resolution TEM and STEM imaging and simulation
• Electron Crystallography
• Ultrafast electron microscopy & spectroscopy
• Electron tomography (both TEM, STEM, and EFTEM)
• 3D electron diffraction technique
• Electron magnetic circular dichroism
• Electron-based pair distribution function
• In-situ mechanical test in SEM
• Electron energy loss spectroscopy
• Energy-filtered imaging and diffraction
• Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) in TEM and SEM
• Wave-dispersive spectroscopy (WDS) in SEM

Applications (imaging and analytical electron microscopy):

• Nanoparticles
• Mesoporous materials
• Metal-organic framework (MOF) and Covalent-organic framework (COF)
• Battery and energy materials
• Catalysts
• Fibre and cellulose
• Polymers and composites
• Metallic materials and alloys
• Ceramics
• Semiconductor materials, devices and circuits
• Magnetic materials and thin films
• Electron-beam sensitive materials
• Oxygen/air sensitive materials

EM sample preparation techniques:

• Focused-ion beam (FIB) milling
• Cryogenic FIB milling for biological sample and hard-soft interfaces
• Electro-polishing
• Ion-milling (both high- and low-voltages)
• Ion-etching
• Ultramicrotomy and cryo-ultramicrotomy
• Plunge-freezer for vitrified biological samples