Performing probe experiments in the SEM
Peking University and Kleindiek put four MM3A nanoprobes inside one SEM to grip, cut and wire up individual nanotubes — the template for in-SEM nanoprobing.
This foundational paper installs four MM3A nanoprobe systems inside an FEI XL30 F SEM, fully compatible with the microscope’s normal operation and a Gatan cold stage. The authors show the array gripping and moving nano-objects such as carbon nanotubes, setting up electrical contacts for I–V measurements, tailoring nanostructures by cutting, and even building unexpected shapes like a nanohook. It established the multi-probe in-SEM workflow that later nanoprobing systems build on.
Products in this study
MM3A-EM
The industry-standard spherical micromanipulator — the platform every Kleindiek plug-in tool attaches to, with 3000+ units in the field.
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Probe-Tip Holder LCMK
A low-noise, low-resistance probe-tip holder that turns a Kleindiek manipulator into a precision nanoprober — resolving currents down to 3 fA.
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