A Grinding/Polishing Tool for TEM Sample Preparation

Abstract

ABSTRACTA grinding/polishing tool has been developed for preparing TEM samples. The hand-held tool is 2.50″ in diameter and 3.0″ high. Rough-cut samples, 300 to 600 microns thick, are routinely polished to 5 microns thick in four to six hours using this tool. As these 5 micron samples are so thin and uniform, a separate dimpling operation can be eliminated. Likewise, the time required to ion-mill the sample can be reduced to 0.5 to 2.0 hours – greatly reducing ion-milling artifacts and significantly increasing the area viewable by TEM. The process is equally effective for all classes of samples: Silicon devices, ceramics or metals – in either cross-section or planar views.