Novel carbon nanosheets as support for ultrahigh-resolution structural analysis of nanoparticles

The resolution in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has reached values as low as 0.08 nm. However, these values are not accessible for very small objects in the size range of a few nanometers or lower, as they have to be placed on some support, which contributes to the overall electron-scattering signal, thereby blurring the contrast. Here, we report on the use of nanosheets made from cross-linked aromatic self-assembled monolayers as TEM sample supports. When transferred onto a copper grid, a single 1.6-nm-thick nanosheet can cover the grid and is free standing within the micron-sized openings. Despite its thinness, the sheet is stable under the impact of the electron beam. Micrographs taken from nanoclusters onto these nanosheets show highly increased contrast in comparison to the images taken from amorphous carbon supports. In scanning transmission electron microscopy with nanosheet support, a size analysis of sub-nanometer Au clusters was performed and single Au atoms were resolved.