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<p>Hydrocarbon contamination is a common problem in transmission electron microscopy (TEM), affecting image contrast and the accuracy of quantitative spectroscopic analysis. Although plasma cleaning of specimen holders and samples is widely used, fully removing hydrocarbon contaminants from inside the microscope chamber has mostly involved slow processes like column baking, which can take several days of instrument downtime. In this study, we introduce a holder-type plasma cleaner that can be inserted directly into the TEM chamber through the specimen port. The device produces oxygen-radical plasma powered by radio frequency (RF) at 13.56&#xa0;MHz, allowing in-situ cleaning of internal chamber surfaces in around three hours. We evaluated the cleaning performance quantitatively using scanning TEM (STEM)-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). After one cleaning cycle, the carbon-K signal increase rate dropped from 2.81 to 0.30%/frame, and the carbon deposition rate decreased from 0.54 to 0.02&#xa0;nm/frame, roughly a tenfold decrease. Repeated cleaning after three months of routine use further lowered contamination rates. These test results show that holder-type plasma cleaning is an effective, time-saving alternative for regular maintenance of TEM chamber cleanliness.</p>

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A holder-type plasma cleaner for in-situ removal of hydrocarbon contamination in the transmission electron microscope chamber

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月20日

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  • Hang Sik Kim,
  • Hyun-Woong Park,
  • Pan Kyu Kim,
  • Myung Jae Lee,
  • Hong Kim,
  • Yong Kim,
  • Young-Min Kim

摘要

Hydrocarbon contamination is a common problem in transmission electron microscopy (TEM), affecting image contrast and the accuracy of quantitative spectroscopic analysis. Although plasma cleaning of specimen holders and samples is widely used, fully removing hydrocarbon contaminants from inside the microscope chamber has mostly involved slow processes like column baking, which can take several days of instrument downtime. In this study, we introduce a holder-type plasma cleaner that can be inserted directly into the TEM chamber through the specimen port. The device produces oxygen-radical plasma powered by radio frequency (RF) at 13.56 MHz, allowing in-situ cleaning of internal chamber surfaces in around three hours. We evaluated the cleaning performance quantitatively using scanning TEM (STEM)-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). After one cleaning cycle, the carbon-K signal increase rate dropped from 2.81 to 0.30%/frame, and the carbon deposition rate decreased from 0.54 to 0.02 nm/frame, roughly a tenfold decrease. Repeated cleaning after three months of routine use further lowered contamination rates. These test results show that holder-type plasma cleaning is an effective, time-saving alternative for regular maintenance of TEM chamber cleanliness.