DECLIC facility - Research capabilities for microgravity fluid physics and materials science

Residual-g (gravity) and g-jitter will be unavoidable sources of undesirable convection during diffusion-dominated fluid science or materials science experiments on the International Space Station. In this paper the facility orientation is proposed as an alternative to passive or active isolation devices, which would be not efficient against any residual-g, to minimize g-disturbances during microgravity experiments. A numerical study for a typical fluid physics experiment shows that both residual-g and g-jitter may be detrimental but also beneficial to achieve purely diffusive conditions, according to the orientation of the residual-g vector and of the vibration direction, relative to the direction of the density gradient. The results of the computations indicate that for the different configurations investigated, corresponding to different relative orientations between residual-g and g-jitter, the experimental facility can be properly oriented to minimize the convection disturbances.

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Trends in Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100078675 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 35 ◽

pp. 228-229

Author(s):

C. Colliex ◽

P. Trebbia

Keyword(s):

Energy Loss ◽

Electron Energy ◽

Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy ◽

Materials Science ◽

Analytical Technique ◽

Recent Developments ◽

Quantitative Results ◽

Electron Microscopes ◽

Electron Energy Loss ◽

Primary Electrons

The physical foundations for the use of electron energy loss spectroscopy towards analytical purposes, seem now rather well established and have been extensively discussed through recent publications. In this brief review we intend only to mention most recent developments in this field, which became available to our knowledge. We derive also some lines of discussion to define more clearly the limits of this analytical technique in materials science problems.The spectral information carried in both low ( 0<ΔE<100eV ) and high ( >100eV ) energy regions of the loss spectrum, is capable to provide quantitative results. Spectrometers have therefore been designed to work with all kinds of electron microscopes and to cover large energy ranges for the detection of inelastically scattered electrons (for instance the L-edge of molybdenum at 2500eV has been measured by van Zuylen with primary electrons of 80 kV). It is rather easy to fix a post-specimen magnetic optics on a STEM, but Crewe has recently underlined that great care should be devoted to optimize the collecting power and the energy resolution of the whole system.

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Electron holography in materials science

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100087665 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 49 ◽

pp. 670-671

Author(s):

Hannes Lichte ◽

Edgar Voelkl

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Transmission Electron Microscopy ◽

Materials Science ◽

Fourier Spectrum ◽

Object Wave ◽

Electron Holography ◽

Reconstruction Procedure ◽

Numerical Reconstruction ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Unique Interpretation

The object wave o(x,y) = a(x,y)exp(iφ(x,y)) at the exit face of the specimen is described by two real functions, i.e. amplitude a(x,y) and phase φ(x,y). In stead of o(x,y), however, in conventional transmission electron microscopy one records only the real intensity I(x,y) of the image wave b(x,y) loosing the image phase. In addition, referred to the object wave, b(x,y) is heavily distorted by the aberrations of the microscope giving rise to loss of resolution. Dealing with strong objects, a unique interpretation of the micrograph in terms of amplitude and phase of the object is not possible. According to Gabor, holography helps in that it records the image wave completely by both amplitude and phase. Subsequently, by means of a numerical reconstruction procedure, b(x,y) is deconvoluted from aberrations to retrieve o(x,y). Likewise, the Fourier spectrum of the object wave is at hand. Without the restrictions sketched above, the investigation of the object can be performed by different reconstruction procedures on one hologram. The holograms were taken by means of a Philips EM420-FEG with an electron biprism at 100 kV.

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