Correlate structural, chemical, and electrical changes with simultaneous closed-loop MEMS heating above 1000 °C and electrical biasing during in-situ synchrotron X-ray experiments
The Hummingbird Scientific X-ray MEMS Heating + Biasing Sample Holder enables simultaneous high-temperature heating and electrical biasing during in-situ X-ray microscopy and spectroscopy experiments. Designed for researchers in semiconductor devices, energy storage, catalysis, materials science, nanotechnology, and electronics, it supports investigations of phase transformations, electrical transport, electromigration, nanoscale diffusion, device failure, battery cycling, and catalyst activation. By correlating thermal and electrical stimuli with structural, chemical, and electrical changes, researchers can reveal the mechanisms governing material performance and degradation under realistic operating conditions.
Hummingbird Advantages:
- Screw-free direct MEMS chip insertion for fast, reproducible sample loading.
- Closed-loop MEMS heating from room temperature to above 1000 °C with integrated temperature sensing.
- Nine direct-chip electrical contacts for simultaneous electrical biasing and electrical measurements.
- Supports diverse experiments with FIB lift-out chips, multiple chip electrode materials and geometries, and custom MEMS chip designs.
- Integrates seamlessly with your X-ray microscope or beamline using custom-fitted stage hardware and user-replaceable electrical cabling for easy maintenance
- Compatible with TEM, SEM, and X-ray microscopy workflows using cross-platform microfabricated chips.
- Designed for X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM), transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), ptychography, coherent diffraction imaging (CDI), and other synchrotron techniques.
How it Works
The X-ray MEMS Heating + Biasing Sample Holder combines Hummingbird Scientific's in-house microfabricated MEMS chips, direct electrical contacts, and closed-loop temperature control to create a stable platform for simultaneous in-situ heating and electrical biasing inside the X-ray microscope or beamline. Samples are mounted directly onto a MEMS chip and inserted into the holder using a screw-free loading mechanism, enabling fast, reproducible experiment setup.
During operation, the MEMS microheater delivers temperatures up to above 1000 °C, while on-chip 4-point resistance sensing enables closed-loop temperature control for stable real-time imaging and analysis. Heating + Biasing MEMS chips support simultaneous thermal and electrical stimulation, while biasing MEMS chips dedicate all nine contacts to electrical measurements when heating is not required.
Key Features and Capabilities
Load MEMS chips quickly with reliable electrical contact and simplified experiment setup
Perform low-noise in-situ electrical measurements with nine direct chip electrical contacts and individually shielded coaxial cables
Achieve stable high-temperature experiments with rapid MEMS heating and precise temperature control alonsgide concurrent biasing
Keep experiments moving with in-stock MEMS chips for heating, electrical biasing, and advanced in-situ X-ray characterization
Configure the holder for seamless integration with synchrotron beamlines and laboratory X-ray microscopy systems
Correlate heating, electrical biasing, and imaging data across TEM, SEM, and X-ray microscopy platforms
Built for Diverse Research Applications
Software
Spend less time managing equipment and more time generating results. Hummingbird Control™ Software provides intuitive control of heating and biasing functions, including temperature set points, closed-loop heating behavior, and voltage sweep workflows when configured with the system.
Hummingbird Connect™ can support the broader software strategy by connecting holder operation, microscope context, imaging workflows, and experiment metadata. Together, these tools help improve setup, reproducibility, experiment organization, and long-term usability for in-situ heating and biasing workflows inside an X-ray microscope or beamline.
Built on Engineering Excellence
Hummingbird Scientific designs, machines, assembles, tests, and services its products in-house. Our integrated in-house engineering, precision manufacturing, microfabrication, software development, applications, and service teams enable rapid prototyping and iteration, custom modifications, and direct technical support throughout the life of the instrument. This vertically integrated approach allows researchers to adapt experimental platforms to unique scientific requirements while maintaining the performance and reliability required for advanced in-situ microscopy experiments.
The X-ray MEMS Heating + Biasing Sample Holder reflects this engineering approach by combining MEMS-based heating, electrical biasing, and integrated holder, chip, and controller technologies into a unified platform for reproducible operando in-situ X-ray microscopy and spectroscopy experiments and advanced materials characterization.
Need something unique? Our engineers can customize existing products or develop new solutions to support specialized MEMS chip designs, electrical configurations, sample geometries, and emerging research challenges.
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