Ultrahigh-vacuum system for the synthesis and manipulation of 2D materials and sample transfer to the transmission electron microscope

• Subject Area: Materials Science
• Term: Funded in 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 435874611

We plan to build an ultra-high vacuum system that allows the preparation and manipulation of samples for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as well as a transfer of these samples to the TEM in high vacuum and without exposure to air. Preparation capabilities will include thermal annealing, exposure to plasma and ion irradiation, and the deposition of layers via thermal evaporation. Especially for samples made of 2D materials, a possibility to stack layers on top of each other is planned. In this way, so-called van der Waals heterostructures can be built in a clean way inside the vacuum system. In combination with the controlled and structured modification of 2D materials via ion or electron irradiation, this opens an entirely new avenue for the preparation of synthetic nanostructures.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Ultrahochvakuum-System zur Synthese und Manipulation von 2D Materialien sowie Probentransfer zum Transmissions-Elektronenmikroskop
• Instrumentation Group: 8330 Vakuumbedampfungsanlagen und -präparieranlagen für Elektronenmikroskopie
• Applicant Institution: Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
• Leader: Professor Dr. Jannik Meyer