PNNL

In science, the smallest details can hold the biggest answers—and they often reveal themselves with the right equipment. For driving innovative research on next-generation energy storage solutions, one of those essential tools is the Helios Hydra UX DualBeam.

Recently installed at the Grid Storage Launchpad (GSL) on Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL’s) Richland campus, the Helios Hydra UX DualBeam enables scientists to examine battery materials at both the microscopic and atomic levels. Equipped with a plasma focused ion beam (PFIB) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM), the system—referred to as a PFIB-SEM—combines high-resolution imaging with precise material preparation capabilities.

“We can cut materials slice by slice with the PFIB, then capture each as an image with the SEM and associated detectors for chemistry and structure. These captured images can be stacked together to create a 3D ‘data cube.’ With this 3D view, we can see inside the material and track changes over a volume of material,” said Nathan Canfield, a materials scientist at PNNL.

The plasma ion source is about 40 times faster than traditional gallium-based dual-beam systems, allowing researchers to prepare larger samples for transmission electron microscopy, or larger volumes for 3D analysis, Canfield added.

The PFIB-SEM is also equipped with a cryo stage that allows samples to be cooled to −190 °C, as well as an air-free sample transfer chamber. This setup minimizes contamination, such as surface oxidation, because the sample never touches air. Working under cryogenic conditions, particularly with high-ductility materials like lithium that are prone to smearing, allows researchers to remove material cleanly and preserve the true cross-section without artifacts from smearing.

Before its relocation to GSL, the PFIB-SEM was housed at PNNL’s Life Sciences Laboratory Building 2 (LSL2). Originally acquired with funding from the Washington State Department of Commerce before the completion of GSL, the machine was always intended for the $75 million research and development facility designed to accelerate the development of advanced battery technologies. Funded by the Office of Electricity, the GSL integrates all phases of the battery development cycle, from fundamental materials research to 100 kW-scale testing and validation.

Transporting such a sophisticated system across the PNNL campus was no simple task. Canfield oversaw the process with support from Isaac Bedford, a field services engineer from Thermo Fisher Scientific, the PFIB-SEM’s manufacturer. While Canfield ensured that the operation proceeded smoothly, Bedford performed the hands-on work of disassembling and recommissioning the system, as well as confirming that the system was properly handled during the physical relocation.

“Taking apart the machine requires precision. The slightest misalignment can affect its performance when we put it back together, so every step matters,” said Bedford.

The machine’s complex components were carefully dismantled at LSL2, its coolant system fully drained, and its high-vacuum environment vented to prevent damage during transport. Reassembly and recalibration of the PFIB can take up to eight weeks. The machine’s high-vacuum environment will be restored through a “baking out” phase to remove any contaminants. Precise adjustments will ensure it operates to the appropriate factory specifications.

When reassembled and recalibrated, the PFIB will continue supporting GSL’s mission to develop durable and efficient energy storage technologies—critical for meeting the nation’s decarbonization goals while ensuring affordable and reliable electricity.

“For months leading up to the move, the machine was in constant use, booked nearly every day, seven days a week. The team is eager for it to be back online to continue their critical work on battery materials and energy storage,” Canfield said.