A combined environmental straining specimen holder for high-voltage electron microscopy

A novel specimen holder that enables in situ observation of crack-tip deformation and/or fracture under a controlled environment is developed for a high-voltage electron microscope (HVEM). A window-type environmental cell (EC) that incorporates a uniaxial straining apparatus is built into a side-entry-type single-tilt specimen holder. The gas control in EC, straining apparatus design, limited field of view for crack-tip observation, and specimen preparation for the specimen holder are presented in detail. Experimental results successfully demonstrate that the developed specimen holder is quite useful for the dynamic observation of crack-tip deformation and/or fracture subjected to a hostile environment, such as hydrogen gas.