In situ TEM

Stream∞

In situ TEM liquid, heating & biasing

Expand your research capabilities with our new pioneering 8-contact environmental TEM holder, enabling electrochemistry as a function of temperature in liquid environments.

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Why Stream Infinity

What a controlled liquid environment adds to your TEM

The Stream Infinity system introduces five groundbreaking capabilities for environmental in situ TEM research combining liquid, heating, and biasing.

01

Perform electrochemistry as a function of temperature

The new Stream Infinity holder features eight electrical contacts that enable simultaneous application of electrical and thermal stimuli in a liquid environment. The contacts can be used for various electrically driven MEMS-based sensors and actuators, making the Infinity platform essentially a research playground.
02

Easily switch between STEM and TEM mode

By flipping the tip 180 degrees, you can directly change the sample position to be either on the top or bottom without a need to disassemble the tip. This grants you the freedom to flawlessly switch between STEM or TEM mode, respectively, depending on your experimental needs, while maintaining the best resolution performance. Importantly, you can switch between both imaging modes within a matter of seconds.
03

Securely transfer your sample from one microscope to the other

The universal tip of the Infinity holder works as a cartridge that can be moved from one holder body to another, without disassembling the universal Nano-Cell. This feature enables complementary cross-platform studies of the same sample in SEM, beamline setups or using TEMs from JEOL or Thermo Fisher Scientific (TFS). These setups can either be located in the same lab, user facility or even in different universities/institutes, allowing for correlating experimental results in different platforms.
04

Perform liquid and gas studies with the same holder

The new environmental Infinity holder is your all-in-one solution for both liquid and gas experiments. Simply choose the appropriate function for the chips and connect the necessary liquid or gas supply system. Our extensive range of chip types includes liquid-heating (LH), gas-heating (GH), liquid-heating-biasing (LHB) and gas-heating-biasing (GHB), offering unparalleled versatility for your experimental needs. New MEMS chip designs can further expand the application space of the Infinity system.
05

High resolution imaging and meaningful analytical analysis

The LSS introduces the capability of controllable and inert gas purging. The purging is done via a separate gas line, allowing you to flawlessly switch between the liquid and inert gas to characterize the sample in between, for example, electrochemical cycling. The switching can be achieved without the air exposure, which is especially beneficial for air-sensitive samples, like Li-ion batteries. Via air/inert gas purging, you can easily get rid of excess liquid in the sample, thereby allowing you to achieve high resolution imaging and to perform meaningful electron diffraction, EELS and EDX studies.
High resolution imaging and meaningful analytical analysis

Application fields

Stream application fields

Batteries

Batteries

Investigate battery electrode reactions, lithium plating/stripping, and solid-electrolyte interphase formation in real time.

Electrocatalysis

Electrocatalysis

Observe electrocatalytic reactions and study the structure-activity relationship of catalysts in liquid environments.

Fuel Cells

Fuel cells

Study fuel cell catalyst degradation, membrane electrode assembly dynamics, and corrosion mechanisms.

Life Science

Life science

Explore biological processes and biointerfaces in native liquid conditions at the nanoscale.

System components

The Stream system

Overview of the key components that together enable precise environmental control and in situ experimentation within the Stream system.

Nano-Cell

Based on advanced MEMS technology, the Nano-Cell is a functional sample carrier that enables a controlled and clean reactive environment for imaging chemical reactions at the nano-scale. Integrated into the Nano-Cell is the 4-contact micro-heater and micro-sensor for locally controlling the temperature environment from RT to 1,000 °C. The Nano-Cell also contains 4 biasing contacts. Together, the eight electrodes enable combined heating and biasing experiments. Replicating a real-world industrial chemical reactor, the Nano-Reactor enables sub-Angstrom resolution imaging and analysis of liquid reactions.
RT - 100 °C Temperature range
8 contacts Electrical connections
Read more about the Stream Nano-Cell
stream-nano-cell

Modular sample holder

A clean environment is essential for in situ microscopy experiments. The modularity of the Stream Infinity Sample Holder allows for all components that come into contact with the liquid sample to be replaced or cleaned on-site by the user. This includes the liquid tubing, metal tip & lid, O-rings and consumable Nano-Cell
Read more about the Infinity sample holder
sample-holder-hero

Liquid supply system

The Liquid Supply System (LSS) is an integrated solution designed to offer you ease-of-use, flexibility and reproducibility in your in situ liquid experiments. With the LSS, you can fully control the microfluidic environment inside the Nano-Cell while heating and/or biasing your sample. 
Read more about the LSS
LSS - Shorter stand with gas tank_cropped

Infinity LightOptional add-on

An optomechanical tip that brings an optical fibre into the holder, illuminating the entire 20 × 200 µm² window of the Nano-Cell while liquid flows through it and the sample is heated or biased. Wavelengths from 350 to 2000 nm, up to 1500 mW/cm² at the sample.

Read more about Infinity Light
Infinity Light optomechanical tip illuminating a sample

Nexus software

Nexus brings the whole experiment back together afterwards. Import data from GMS, TIA, Velox and Impulse into one synchronized workspace and view your TEM images alongside the temperature, flow and electrochemical signals on a shared timeline. Process the data in the same project with the bundled Python scripts for drift removal, smoothing and peak detection, or with your own, and export annotated videos and figures that combine images, graphs and metadata.

Read more about Nexus
The Nexus workspace showing a particle analysis: the original and denoised image series with particle tracking and cluster outlines, and the speed, cluster and surface-area signals on a shared timeline

Workflow and benefits

Watch the full workflow

From sample preparation to live cyclic voltammetry, explore it all.

News Article

Learn more about the Infinity Sample Holder

Read about our Infinity holder in this interview with one of our senior engineers, exploring the vision behind this latest innovation. The article highlights how Infinity combines heating and biasing in both gas and liquid environments through its 8-contact design, enabling new possibilities for in situ experiments. It also reflects the user-driven approach behind the design, with a focus on ease of use, faster time to experiment, and seamless integration across microscopy platforms.

Introducing Infinity: DENSsolutions' pioneering 8-contact environmental in situ solution

Introducing Infinity: DENSsolutions' pioneering 8-contact environmental in situ solution

DENSsolutions introduces its latest product: Infinity – an innovative in situ solution that combines heating and biasing capabilities in both gas and liquid environments.

Read more

Publications

Top research using Stream

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Find answers to the most common questions about the Stream.

Can I safely use the Stream Infinity holder in my TEM?

Yes. The Stream Infinity holder dimensions are designed within the specifications for the applicable objective lens pole piece as provided by the TEM manufacturer (Thermo Fisher Scientific or JEOL). As long as the holder is also used within the Z- and T-axis range specified in the user manual, there should be no risk of the holder touching the pole piece. Before every insertion of the Stream Infinity holder into the TEM goniometer, it is tested for vacuum leaks with a turbomolecular pump. Only after this test is passed successfully, the user can continue to the next step of TEM insertion.

What is the preparation time for a typical experiment?

Preparing the Stream Infinity holder to run an experiment typically takes 20 minutes or less, depending on the user experience:

  • 5–10 minutes to assemble the holder: placing the O-rings and the Nano-Cell into the tip and closing off the lid
  • 10 minutes to check the leak-tightness of the holder before TEM insertion

This time excludes sample preparation as this can vary from sample to sample.

Can the sample position be changed from the top to the bottom window for optimum STEM or TEM imaging?

Yes. The Stream Infinity holder has a removable and symmetric tip. Once the holder is assembled, the user can choose the orientation of the sample, e.g. on the top or the bottom window by rotating the whole tip by 180 degrees along the holder axis. In the standard configuration, the sample is located on the top window which is optimum for STEM imaging. When the tip is rotated, the sample position is optimum for TEM mode. Notably, flipping the tip is a quick and easy process, taking less than a minute to complete.

How long does it take to replace the liquid tubing?

The Stream holder has individually replaceable tubing and it takes about 5 minutes to replace the tubing. Fused Silica is the standard material of the tubing, but this can be changed for PEEK or another material if required by the user.

Is it possible to perform gas experiments with the Stream Infinity holder?

Yes. The Stream Infinity holder is identical in terms of the design to the Climate Infinity holder and, as such, it can be used in combination with gases. To enable in situ gas heating and/or biasing experiments in the TEM, a Climate Nano-Reactor and a Gas Supply System need to be used in combination with the Stream Infinity holder. To avoid cross-contamination between liquid and gas experiments, it is advised to have a dedicated tip and a set of tubings and O-rings for liquid research.

Resources

Brochure & application notes

Brochure

Download the Stream Infinity brochure

Download the Stream Infinity brochure

For more information on workflow, applications and specifications.

Download Brochure

Application notes

High resolution and analytical electron microscopy in a liquid flow cell via gas purging Download PDF
Observation and characterization of copper electrodeposition in lptem Download PDF

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