Ultrathin specimen preparation by a low-energy Ar-ion milling method

作者：Mitome Masanori^*

来源：Journal of Electron Microscopy, 2013, 62(2): 321-326.

DOI：10.1093/jmicro/dfs073

• Ar-ion milling
• sample preparation
• ultrathin specimen
• low-energy ion beam
• gamma-Ga2O3
• (Zn, Cr)Te

The low-energy Ar-ion milling method was used to prepare ultrathin specimens for transmission electron microscope observation. The samples were thinned initially by a usual focused ion beam technique or typical Ar-ion milling with a high energy of 2-10 keV and were thinned additionally by an Ar-ion beam with an energy less than 1 keV, typically 500-900 eV. This low-energy ion beam was scanned over the specimen, and secondary electrons induced by the ion beam could be detected to form secondary electron images with a resolution of a few micrometre. Because a desired area can be selected and thinned by the low-energy ion beam, redeposition or cross contamination from irradiation of a metal grid that supports the sample can be prevented. It was shown that the low-energy Ar-ion beam thins a surface amorphous damage layer preferentially and effectively rather than a crystal specimen. Images from ultrathin specimens of two different materials revealed a detailed structure.

• 出版日期2013-4