A versatile coating tool for electron microscopy was funded by MAPEX.
Electron microscopy is a standard technique in modern nano science due to its spatial resolution up to the atomic scale. However, ultimate resolution requires versatile specimen preparation in order to achieve optimized contrasts at samples surfaces, to prevent specimen from charging or oxidation, stabilization of nanoparticle aggregates etc. Such requirements are often solved by deposition of a conductive layer or a low Z-material onto the specimen.
Key Feature: The Leica sputter coater ACE600 allows to deposit ultrathin chromium (or any other available sputter target material) or carbon layers with thicknesses down to about 0.5 nm onto specimens with lateral size of several centimeters.
Functionalities:
- Pulsed carbon-wire deposition: with about 0.5nm film deposition per pulse
- Deposition of two materials without break of vacuum
- Bayonet lock for quick exchange of sputtering targets
- Rotating specimen holder for homogenous coating of rough and porous samples
- Front loading of samples enabling the coating of large samples (4-inch wafers)
- Thickness determination monitor using an oscillating quartz
- High vacuum coater (<2*10-6 mbar)
Scientific uses:
- Use for preventing charging of SEM/FIB samples.
- Use for TEM grid preparation with ultrathin carbon films.
- Protection of specimen surface against focused ion beam damage for samples with surface near features or objects of interest on the surface.
- Use as a low intensity/contrast material for imaging of surface near regions.
- Stabilization of nanoparticle aggregates for investigation in TEM.
Applied by:
Dr. Marco Schowalter
(Institute of Solid State Physics)
