Herbig Michael, Kumar Ankit
Department of Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Microsc Res Tech. 2021 Feb;84(2):291-297. doi: 10.1002/jemt.23587. Epub 2020 Sep 9.
Many materials science phenomena require joint structural and chemical characterization at the nanometer scale to be understood. This can be achieved by correlating electron microscopy (EM) and atom probe tomography (APT) subsequently on the same specimen. For this approach, specimen yield during APT is of particular importance, as significantly more instrument time per specimen is invested as compared to conventional APT measurements. However, electron microscopy causes hydrocarbon contamination on the surface of atom probe specimens. Also, oxide layers grow during specimen transport between instruments and storage. Both effects lower the chances for long and smooth runs in the ensuing APT experiment. This represents a crucial bottleneck of the method correlative EM/APT. Here, we present a simple and reliable method based on argon ion polishing that is able to remove hydrocarbon contamination and oxide layers, thereby significantly improving APT specimen yield, particularly after EM.
许多材料科学现象需要在纳米尺度上进行联合结构和化学表征才能被理解。这可以通过在同一试样上依次关联电子显微镜（EM）和原子探针断层扫描（APT）来实现。对于这种方法，APT期间的试样产率尤为重要，因为与传统的APT测量相比，每个试样投入的仪器时间要多得多。然而，电子显微镜会在原子探针试样表面造成碳氢化合物污染。此外，在仪器之间的试样传输和存储过程中会生长氧化层。这两种效应都会降低后续APT实验中进行长时间平稳运行的机会。这是相关EM/APT方法的一个关键瓶颈。在这里，我们提出了一种基于氩离子抛光的简单可靠方法，该方法能够去除碳氢化合物污染和氧化层，从而显著提高APT试样产率，特别是在经过EM之后。
