  Thin-film based phase plates are meanwhile a widespread tool to enhance the
contrast of weak-phase objects in transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The
thin film usually consists of amorphous carbon, which suffers from quick
degeneration under the intense electron-beam illumination. Recent
investigations have focused on the search for alternative materials with an
improved material stability. This work presents thin-film based phase plates
fabricated from metallic glass alloys, which are characterized by a high
electrical conductivity and an amorphous structure. Thin films of the
zirconium-based alloy Zr65.0Al7.5Cu27.5 (ZAC) are prepared and their
phase-shifting properties are tested. The ZAC-alloy film is investigated by
different TEM techniques, which reveal a range of beneficial characteristics.
Particularly favorable is the small probability for inelastic plasmon
scattering, which is promising to improve the performance of thin-film based
phase plates in phase-contrast TEM.
