Next-generation cryogenic transmission electron microscopes (TEM) aim to achieve high-resolution imaging at ultracold sample temperatures (< 90 K) and over extended hold times. Lower temperatures enable atomic-scale characterization with improved beam and dose resilience for organic specimens and access to emergent electronic phases in quantum materials. Side-entry liquid helium cooling stages presently lack the mechanical and thermal stability required to support sub-Angstrom information transfer in modern TEM. Here we demonstrate sub-Angstrom atomic imaging TEM with a side-entry stage at specimen temperatures down to ~20K and with low stage drift and stable hold times.
@article{arxiv.2509.12475,
title = {Liquid Helium Cryogenic TEM below 1 {\AA}},
author = {Suk Hyun Sung and Maya Gates and Nishkarsh Agarwal and Yang Zhang and William Millsaps and Miti Shah and Emily Rennich and Cong Li and Pu Yu and Miaofang Chi and Benjamin H. Savitzky and Ismail El Baggari and Robert Hovden},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2509.12475},
year = {2025}
}