Development of in-situ TEM method for elucidating tensile fracture processes of 2D materials at atomic scale

Abstract The mechanical response and failure mechanism of two-dimensional (2D) materials are critical issues for enhancing device reliability and informing robust structural design strategies. Such mechanical behavior at the atomic scale requires both high spatial resolution and structural stability under external tensile loading. In this study, we present an in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) tensile test platform designed specifically for 2D materials. A silicon chip has a TEM observation slit covered with a 400 nm thick silicon nitride membrane and a T-shaped gap is formed at the slit by focused ion beam (FIB) processing. A target 2D material is suspended in the gap and the chip is mounted on a push-to-pull titanium plate. We could observe the fracture process of thin MoS 2 nanosheets at the atomic scale.