Transmission electron microscope specimen preparation of Zn powders using the focused ion beam lift-out technique

    Authors

    B. I. Prenitzer; L. A. Giannuzzi; K. Newman; S. R. Brown; R. B. Irwin; T. L. Shofner;F. A. Stevie

    Comments

    Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Metall. Mater. Trans. A-Phys. Metall. Mater. Sci.

    Keywords

    Materials Science, Multidisciplinary; Metallurgy & Metallurgical; Engineering

    Abstract

    Particles of Zn powder have been studied to show that high-quality scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) specimens can be rapidly produced from a site-specific region on a chosen particle by the focused ion beam (FIB) lift-out technique. A TEM specimen approximately 20-mu m long by 5-mu m wide was milled to electron transparency, extracted from the bulk particle, and micromanipulated onto a carbon coated copper mesh TEM grid. Using the FIB lift-out method, we were able to prepare a site-specific TEM specimen from a difficult material in under 3 hours. The TEM analysis of the lift-out specimen revealed a large amount of thin area free from characteristic signs of damage that may be observed as a result of conventional argon ion milling. The overall microstructure of the specimen prepared by the FIB lift-out method was consistent with samples prepared by conventional metallographic methods. A grain size of similar to 10 to 20 mu m was observed in all specimens by both TEM and SEM analysis. Light optical microscopy revealed the presence of internal voids in similar to 10 to 20 pct of all particles. The SEM analysis showed the voids to extend over similar to 70 pct of the particle volume in some cases.

    Journal Title

    Metallurgical and Materials Transactions a-Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science

    Volume

    29

    Issue/Number

    9

    Publication Date

    1-1-1998

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    2399

    Last Page

    2406

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000075981400017

    ISSN

    1073-5623

    Share

    COinS