Effects of the Encapsulation Membrane in Operando Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Nanoscale tailoring of catalytic materials and Li-battery alternatives has elevated the importance of in situ gas-phase electron microscopy. Such advanced techniques are often performed using an environmental cell inserted into a conventional S/TEM setup, as this method facilitates concurrent electrochemical and temperature stimulations in a convenient and cost-effective manner. However, these cells are made by encapsulating gas between two insulating membranes, which introduces additional electron scattering. We have evaluated strengths and limitations of the gas-phase E-cell S/TEM technique, both experimentally and through simulations, across a variety of practical parameters. We reveal the degradation of image quality in an E-cell setup from various components and explore opportunities to improve imaging quality through intelligent choice of experimental parameters. Our results underscore the benefits of using an E-cell STEM technique, due to its versatility and excellent ability to suppress the exotic contributions from the membrane device.