An Apparatus for Chemical Jet-Thinning

Abstract

A simple, inexpensive and safe apparatus has been constructed to chemically jet-thin silicon samples for transmission electron microscopy. The thinning apparatus, constructed from chemically resistant materials, is designed to quickly and reproducibly thin samples without subjecting the operator to hazards from highly corrosive polishing solutions. Polishing action is accomplished from one side of the sample while the obverse surface is protected from attack, thus allowing TEM studies of very shallow-surface effects.Jet-thinning devices for producing electron transparent samples, particularly from silicon and germanium, have been previously reported (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). All of these devices accomplish essentially the same task. Most, however, have one or more of the following disadvantages: (a) they are cumbersome to use, requiring several steps of sample preparation prior to final thinning; (b) they are fairly complex mechanisms, expensive to construct, and often contain components susceptible to corrosion from polishing solutions, and (c) they are often hazardous to use, providing little protection to the user from highly caustic chemical polishes.