Title

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

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 sitespecific region on a chosen particle by the focused ion beam (FIB) lift-out technique. A TEM specimen approximately 20-jum long by 5-ynm 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 ~10 to 20 urn was observed in all specimens by both TEM and SEM analysis. Light optical microscopy revealed the presence of internal voids in -10 to 20 pet of all particles. The SEM analysis showed the voids to extend over ~70 pet of the particle volume in some cases.

Publication Date

1-1-1998

Publication Title

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science

Volume

29

Issue

9

Number of Pages

2399-2406

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-998-0116-z

Socpus ID

0032162412 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/0032162412

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