In situ laser heating in a scanning transmission electron microscope

We have introduced a modest power (50 mW) laser beam into a high resolution scanning transmission electron microscope in order to heat samples to high temperatures and cool them rapidly enough to]] freeze in" the effects of the high temperature. Sequential micrographs of the sample taken after 0.1-s heating pulses show, for example, material migration, grain growth, and crystallization of amorphous silicon evaporated on to 50-nm Si3N4 substrates.