Digital cryogenic transmission electron microscopy: an advanced tool for direct imaging of complex fluids

Digital imaging cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) has b ecome an important extension of TEM at cryogenic temperatures. In this pape r, we describe the advantages of the technique and demonstrate its use in t he study of two micellar systems. We show how details that were impossible or difficult to image, can be easily observed by this novel technique. We e mphasize that the introduction of digital imaging to cryo-TEM is not merely a small technical improvement, but does promise to expand the capabilities of TEM of complex fluids in a most significant way. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scie nce B.V. All rights reserved.