Removal of silicon-containing contaminants from TEM specimens

Contaminant-free specimens are an essential prerequisite for high-quality electron microscopy. Silicon is the second most abundant element in the earth's crust with similar chemical properties to that of carbon. However, as a potential source of contamination, silicon has been occasionally reported but not specifically addressed in the electron microscopy community to date. This work highlights the widespread presence of silicon-containing contaminants on TEM specimens, and proposes a general solution for this type of contaminants by using SF₆ as a silicon remover. After the treatment, both hydrocarbons and silicon-containing contaminants were removed and no further electron beam showering was needed for most of the specimens to achieve time-invariant imaging. It is expected that this method could be beneficial not only for electron microscopes but also for other surface-sensitive analytical instruments.