Effects of the Encapsulation Membrane in Operando Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Nanoscale tailoring of catalytic materials and Li-battery alternatives has elevated the importance ofin situgas-phaseelectron microscopy. Such advanced techniques are oftenperformed using an environmental cell inserted into a conventionalS/TEM setup, as this method facilitates concurrent electro-chemical and temperature stimulations in a convenient and cost-effective manner. However, these cells are made by encapsulatinggas between two insulating membranes, which introduces addi-tional electron scattering. We have evaluated strengths andlimitations of the gas-phase E-cell S/TEM technique, bothexperimentally and through simulations, across a variety ofpractical parameters. We reveal the degradation of image qualityin an E-cell setup from various components and exploreopportunities to improve imaging quality through intelligent choice of experimental parameters. Our results underscore thebenefits of using an E-cell STEM technique, due to its versatility and excellent ability to suppress the exotic contributions from the membrane device