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Hummingbird Scientific in-situ sample holders enable real-time, atomic-resolution characterization of low-dimensional materials—directly linking nanoscale structure to function. Perform multi-modal TEM, SEM, and X-ray experiments across gas, liquid, and vacuum environments, with closed-loop temperature control from −170 °C to above 1000 °C to probe material behavior under realistic conditions. Every Hummingbird holder is developed for performance, reproducibility, and ease of use. Scroll down to explore the types of experiments with low dimensional materials made possible by these holders..
Studying catalytic mechanisms requires understanding how materials behave during reactions, where structure, chemistry, and performance continuously evolve. These processes must be observed under realistic reaction environments, while conventional electron microscopy is often limited to pre- or post-reaction analysis, making it difficult to capture these dynamic processes.
In-situ and operando TEM enable direct observation under working conditions. Hummingbird Scientific extends this capability with stable imaging across gas, liquid, and electrochemical environments, and experiments at up to 2 bar and above 1000 °C, allowing catalysts to be studied under realistic conditions with high reproducibility.
Observe catalyst restructuring, degradation, and active-site evolution during reactions under operando conditions, overcoming the limitations of post-reaction analysis and enabling direct identification of activity and deactivation mechanisms.
Correlate nanoscale structure with catalytic activity and selectivity during reactions, linking morphology, composition, and oxidation state directly to performance, which are otherwise difficult to resolve without real-time observation.
Study catalysts under controlled gas and liquid environments at elevated temperatures with stable imaging performance, ensuring behavior can be observed under realistic conditions rather than approximated.
Capture dynamic structural and chemical changes during reactions, including restructuring, phase transformations, and active-site evolution, which are often not accessible through static or ex-situ analysis.
2D materials dynamics in liquids
Linking structure and function
Observe in-situ dynamics of 2D materials under liquid environments using Hummingbird Scientific liquid flow sample holders.
Direct visualization of biomolecule interactions at 2D materials surfaces
Interaction dynamics of norepinephrine molecules on 2D aluminum quasicrystals (Al-QCs) were imaged under liquid environment.
Reference: Anyesha Chakraborty, et al, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 17, 68552−68565 (2025). DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5c10972
Image copyright © 2025 American Chemical Society
2D material at high temperatures
In-situ heating >1000 ºC
Observe 2D materials behavior at elevated temperatures using Hummingbird Scientific MEMS heating + biasing sample holders.
In-situ observations of non-equilibrium phase changes in 2D materials
Phase transformation in 2D MoS2 under non-equilibrium thermodynamics conditions were observed using in-situ aberration-corrected STEM.
Reference: Pawan Kumar, et al, npj 2D Mater Appl 4, 16 (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41699-020-0150-2
Image from npj 2D Materials and Applications under the Creative Commons license
2D materials-based electronic devices
Operando biasing and imaging
Perform operando testing and imaging of 2D materials-based devices using Hummingbird Scientific electrical biasing sample holders.
In-Situ TEM of an electron beam gated 2D MoS2 field-effect transistor
Electrical gating of 2D MoS2 channels was achieved using the TEM electron beam during operando biasing measurements.
Reference: Paul Masih Das & Marija Drndić, ACS Nano 14, 6, 7389-7397 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c02908
Image copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society
Low dimensional materials growth in gas environment
At temperatures >1000 ºC
Observe real time growth of low dimensional materials under gas environments using Hummingbird Scientific gas heating sample holders.
In-situ chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and nanofibers (CNF)
The effect of different Fe-based alloy catalyst systems on in-situ atmospheric pressure CVD of CNTs and CNFs was characterized.
Reference: Andrew C. Meng, et al, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 43, 040601 (2025). DOI: 10.1116/6.0004664
Image copyright © 2026 AIP Publishing LLC
Low dimensional materials growth in liquids
In-situ liquid phase imaging
Observe real time growth of low dimensional materials under liquid environments using Hummingbird Scientific liquid flow sample holders.
In-situ liquid phase growth of Ge nanowires from liquid metal nanodroplets
Room-temperature Ge nanowire growth in water was directly visualized using in-situ liquid phase TEM, where electron beam interaction with liquid Ga or In nanodroplets initiated localized nucleation and growth.
Reference: Quintin Cheek, et al, ACS Nano 14, 3, 2869-2879 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b06468
Image copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society
Low dimensional materials decomposition in gas
Thermal cycling to >1000 ºC
Observe real time decomposition of low dimensional materials under gas environments using Hummingbird Scientific gas heating sample holders.
Reversible in-situ gas phase thermal decomposition of perovskite nanorods
Evolution of single-crystal nanorods of intermediate phase (MAI-PbI2-DMSO) was observed under controlled thermal conditions.
Reference: Yong-Ryun Jo, et al, ACS Cent. Sci. 6, 6, 959-968 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.0c00385
Image copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society
Low dimensional materials decomposition in liquids
In-situ dissolution processes
Observe real time decomposition of low dimensional materials in liquid environments using Hummingbird Scientific liquid flow sample holders.
In-situ imaging of InAs nanowire dissolution in radiolytic water
The dissolution dynamics of InAs nanowires were directly visualized in a liquid environment to elucidate the underlying nanoscale dissolution mechanisms.
Reference: Mei Sun, et al, Nanoscale 10, 19733-19741 (2018). DOI: 10.1039/C8NR04096F
Image copyright © 2018 Royal Society of Chemistry
Manipulation and Biasing of Low Dimensional Materials
Site-specific electrical connections
Precisely probe and bias targeted regions of low-dimensional materials using the Hummingbird Scientific biasing manipulator sample holders.
In-situ probing and site-specific biasing of graphene oxide-based nanocomposites
Microstructural evolution of a polymer-derived ceramic nanoparticle/edge-functionalized graphene oxide composite during lithiation–delithiation was directly imaged.
Reference: Zeyang Zhang, et al, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 13, 8, 9794-9803 (2021). DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c19681
Image copyright © 2021 American Chemical Society
Low dimensional materials electrochemistry
Batteries, electrocatalysis, and more
Perform liquid-phase electrochemistry on low-dimensional materials using Hummingbird Scientific Generation V bulk liquid-electrochemistry sample holders.
Evaluation of graphene electrodes for in-situ liquid phase electrochemistry
The performance of a graphene working electrode for CO2 electroreduction (CO2ER) of Cu nanocatalysts was evaluated via liquid phase SEM (LP-SEM).
Reference: Saltanat Toleukhanova, et al, Adv. Mater. 36, 2311133 (2024). DOI: 10.1002/adma.202311133
Image from Advanced Materials under the Creative Commons license
2D materials dynamics in liquids
Linking structure and function
Observe in-situ dynamics of 2D materials under liquid environments using Hummingbird Scientific liquid flow sample holders.
Direct visualization of biomolecule interactions at 2D materials surfaces
Interaction dynamics of norepinephrine molecules on 2D aluminum quasicrystals (Al-QCs) were imaged under liquid environment.
Reference: Anyesha Chakraborty, et al, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 17, 68552−68565 (2025). DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5c10972
Image copyright © 2025 American Chemical Society
2D material at high temperatures
In-situ heating >1000 ºC
Observe 2D materials behavior at elevated temperatures using Hummingbird Scientific MEMS heating + biasing sample holders.
In-situ observations of non-equilibrium phase changes in 2D materials
Phase transformation in 2D MoS2 under non-equilibrium thermodynamics conditions were observed using in-situ aberration-corrected STEM.
Reference: Pawan Kumar, et al, npj 2D Mater Appl 4, 16 (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41699-020-0150-2
Image from npj 2D Materials and Applications under the Creative Commons license
2D materials-based electronic devices
Operando biasing and imaging
Perform operando testing and imaging of 2D materials-based devices using Hummingbird Scientific electrical biasing sample holders.
In-Situ TEM of an electron beam gated 2D MoS2 field-effect transistor
Electrical gating of 2D MoS2 channels was achieved using the TEM electron beam during operando biasing measurements.
Reference: Paul Masih Das & Marija Drndić, ACS Nano 14, 6, 7389-7397 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c02908
Image copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society
Low dimensional materials growth in gas environment
At temperatures >1000 ºC
Observe real time growth of low dimensional materials under gas environments using Hummingbird Scientific gas heating sample holders.
In-situ chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and nanofibers (CNF)
The effect of different Fe-based alloy catalyst systems on in-situ atmospheric pressure CVD of CNTs and CNFs was characterized.
Reference: Andrew C. Meng, et al, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 43, 040601 (2025). DOI: 10.1116/6.0004664
Image copyright © 2026 AIP Publishing LLC
Low dimensional materials growth in liquids
In-situ liquid phase imaging
Observe real time growth of low dimensional materials under liquid environments using Hummingbird Scientific liquid flow sample holders.
In-situ liquid phase growth of Ge nanowires from liquid metal nanodroplets
Room-temperature Ge nanowire growth in water was directly visualized using in-situ liquid phase TEM, where electron beam interaction with liquid Ga or In nanodroplets initiated localized nucleation and growth.
Reference: Quintin Cheek, et al, ACS Nano 14, 3, 2869-2879 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b06468
Image copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society
Low dimensional materials decomposition in gas
Thermal cycling to >1000 ºC
Observe real time decomposition of low dimensional materials under gas environments using Hummingbird Scientific gas heating sample holders.
Reversible in-situ gas phase thermal decomposition of perovskite nanorods
Evolution of single-crystal nanorods of intermediate phase (MAI-PbI2-DMSO) was observed under controlled thermal conditions.
Reference: Yong-Ryun Jo, et al, ACS Cent. Sci. 6, 6, 959-968 (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.0c00385
Image copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society
Low dimensional materials decomposition in liquids
In-situ dissolution processes
Observe real time decomposition of low dimensional materials in liquid environments using Hummingbird Scientific liquid flow sample holders.
In-situ imaging of InAs nanowire dissolution in radiolytic water
The dissolution dynamics of InAs nanowires were directly visualized in a liquid environment to elucidate the underlying nanoscale dissolution mechanisms.
Reference: Mei Sun, et al, Nanoscale 10, 19733-19741 (2018). DOI: 10.1039/C8NR04096F
Image copyright © 2018 Royal Society of Chemistry
Manipulation and Biasing of Low Dimensional Materials
Site-specific electrical connections
Precisely probe and bias targeted regions of low-dimensional materials using the Hummingbird Scientific biasing manipulator sample holders.
In-situ probing and site-specific biasing of graphene oxide-based nanocomposites
Microstructural evolution of a polymer-derived ceramic nanoparticle/edge-functionalized graphene oxide composite during lithiation–delithiation was directly imaged.
Reference: Zeyang Zhang, et al, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 13, 8, 9794-9803 (2021). DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c19681
Image copyright © 2021 American Chemical Society
Low dimensional materials electrochemistry
Batteries, electrocatalysis, and more
Perform liquid-phase electrochemistry on low-dimensional materials using Hummingbird Scientific Generation V bulk liquid-electrochemistry sample holders.
Evaluation of graphene electrodes for in-situ liquid phase electrochemistry
The performance of a graphene working electrode for CO2 electroreduction (CO2ER) of Cu nanocatalysts was evaluated via liquid phase SEM (LP-SEM).
Reference: Saltanat Toleukhanova, et al, Adv. Mater. 36, 2311133 (2024). DOI: 10.1002/adma.202311133
Image from Advanced Materials under the Creative Commons license
Batteries, electrocatalysis, and more
Site-specific electrical connections
In-situ dissolution processes
Thermal cycling to >1000 ºC
In-situ liquid phase imaging
At temperatures >1000 ºC
Operando biasing and imaging
In-situ heating >1000 ºC
Linking structure and function
2D materials phase transformation at high temperatures
Two-dimensional (2D) PtSe₂ offers tunable band gaps for near-infrared optoelectronics, with properties highly sensitive to layer thickness, phase, and defects—making precise characterization essential, as subtle structural variations directly impact electronic and optical performance. The Hummingbird Scientific MEMS heating + biasing sample holder enables real-time, in situ control of these properties by applying high temperatures and electrical bias inside the TEM, driving phase transformations while maintaining atomic-resolution imaging.
The video captures the real-time transformation of 2D PtSe₂ into Se-deficient PtSe₁-x during in situ heating to ~550 °C, with the phase transition initiating near 500 °C. Evolving contrast reveals directional phase propagation and dynamic interfaces, providing direct insight into transformation pathways. The growth kinetics—and resulting phase front velocity—are tunable via the applied stimulus, enabling precise nanoscale control over phase engineering.
Hummingbird Advantages
Reference: Data provided by Pawan Kumar, Eric Stach and Deep Jariwala from the University of Pennsylvania
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