- Presentation :
Sample preparation is the essential activity that precedes electron microscopy observations. Conventional methods consist of polishing the sample’s surface for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations or thinning samples until a few nanometers thick for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. However, sample preparation can be more exotic according to the issues involved.
The service offers to the laboratory many tools and different preparation techniques that are taught to students and those wishing to be trained.
Whether a conventional or a more modern approach is taken, sample preparation requires from the operator a high precision, tact and patience!
- Equipments :
| Cutting tools : | ||
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ONA AF25 wire electrical discharge machine (equipment at 50% in the mechanical department) |
ESCIL Well diamond wire saw | BUEHLER IsoMet 4000 disc cutter |
| Mechanical polishing | ||
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| ESCIL 300GTL, 200GTL polishers | ALLIED Multiprep semi-automatic polisher | BUEHLER Phoenix 4000 polisher |
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| BUEHLER VibroMet2 vibrating polisher | GATAN Grinder | SOUTH BAY TECHNOLOGY Tripod Polisher Model 590 |
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| GATAN Dimpler Grinder Model 656 |
| Optical Microscopes |
Focused Ion Beam (FIB) | |
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| NIKON Eclipse LV100ND |
NIKON Eclipse MA200 |
FEI Helios Nanolab 600i - SEM column - FIB column - Omniprobe micromanipulator - 5 GIS (gas injection system) : Pt, W, C, Co et O2 - detectors : EBSD, STEM, CBS |
| Electropolishing |
Hot coating | Ion polishing |
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| STRUERS TenuPol-5 | BUEHLER SimpliMet XPS1 |
GATAN PIPS Model 691 |
- Staff
Dominique Lamirault
(AJTR ITRF)
Catherine Crestou
(TCN)
Robin Cours
(AI)