Microstructuring with excimer lasers and reduction of deposited ablation products using a special gas nozzle with a vacuum system

We are approaching the invasiveness of cancer cells from the studies of their wet surface morphology which should distinguish them from their normal counterparts. In this report attempts have been made to provide physical basis and background work to a wet replication method with a differentially pumped hydration chamber (Fig. 1) (1,2), to apply this knowledge for obtaining replica of some specimens of known features (e.g. polystyrene latex) and finally to realize more specific problems and to improvize new methods and instrumentation for their rectification. In principle, the evaporant molecules penetrate through a pair of apertures (250, 350μ), through water vapors and is, then, deposited on the specimen. An intermediate chamber between the apertures is pumped independently of the high vacuum system. The size of the apertures is sufficiently small so that full saturated water vapor pressure is maintained near the specimen.

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Vacuum System to Minimize the Specimen Contamination of High-Performance EM

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100077967 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 35 ◽

pp. 68-69

Author(s):

N. Yoshimura ◽

K. Shirota ◽

T. Etoh

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscope ◽

High Speed ◽

High Performance ◽

High Vacuum ◽

Vacuum System ◽

Pump System ◽

Pumping System ◽

Diffusion Pump ◽

Almost All ◽

Cascade Type

One of the most important requirements for a high-performance EM, especially an analytical EM using a fine beam probe, is to prevent specimen contamination by providing a clean high vacuum in the vicinity of the specimen. However, in almost all commercial EMs, the pressure in the vicinity of the specimen under observation is usually more than ten times higher than the pressure measured at the punping line. The EM column inevitably requires the use of greased Viton O-rings for fine movement, and specimens and films need to be exchanged frequently and several attachments may also be exchanged. For these reasons, a high speed pumping system, as well as a clean vacuum system, is now required. A newly developed electron microscope, the JEM-100CX features clean high vacuum in the vicinity of the specimen, realized by the use of a CASCADE type diffusion pump system which has been essentially improved over its predeces- sorD employed on the JEM-100C.

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A Superconducting Microscope

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100064104 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

pp. 10-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

R. E. Worsham ◽

J. E. Mann ◽

E. G. Richardson

Keyword(s):

Liquid Helium ◽

Focal Length ◽

Vacuum System ◽

Objective Lens ◽

Electrical Instability ◽

Radiation Shields ◽

And Control ◽

Thermal Oscillations ◽

Flux Pump

This superconducting microscope, Figure 1, was first operated in May, 1970. The column, which started life as a Siemens Elmiskop I, was modified by removing the objective and intermediate lenses, the specimen chamber, and the complete vacuum system. The large cryostat contains the objective lens and stage. They are attached to the bottom of the 7-liter helium vessel and are surrounded by two vapor-cooled radiation shields.In the initial operational period 5-mm and 2-mm focal length objective lens pole pieces were used giving magnification up to 45000X. Without a stigmator and precision ground pole pieces, a resolution of about 50-100Å was achieved. The boil-off rate of the liquid helium was reduced to 0.2-0.3ℓ/hour after elimination of thermal oscillations in the cryostat. The calculated boil-off was 0.2ℓ/hour. No effect caused by mechanical or electrical instability was found. Both 4.2°K and 1.7-1.9°K operation were routine. Flux pump excitation and control of the lens were quite smooth, simple, and, apparently highly stable. Alignment of the objective lens proved quite awkward, however, with the long-thin epoxy glass posts used for supporting the lens.

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A Freeze Shadow Technique for the Preparation of Soft Paint Latexes for Electron Microscopy

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100079097 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 35 ◽

pp. 314-315

Author(s):

Earl R. Walter ◽

Glen H. Bryant

Keyword(s):

Sample Preparation ◽

High Vacuum ◽

Vacuum System ◽

Latex Particles ◽

New Methods ◽

Diffusion Pump ◽

Film Forming ◽

Routine Basis ◽

Distribution Studies ◽

Preparation Techniques

With the development of soft, film forming latexes for use in paints and other coatings applications, it became desirable to develop new methods of sample preparation for latex particle size distribution studies with the electron microscope. Conventional latex sample preparation techniques were inadequate due to the pronounced tendency of these new soft latex particles to distort, flatten and fuse on the substrate when they dried. In order to avoid these complications and obtain electron micrographs of undistorted latex particles of soft resins, a freeze-dry, cold shadowing technique was developed. The method has now been used in our laboratory on a routine basis for several years.The cold shadowing is done in a specially constructed vacuum system, having a conventional mechanical fore pump and oil diffusion pump supplying vacuum. The system incorporates bellows type high vacuum valves to permit a prepump cycle and opening of the shadowing chamber without shutting down the oil diffusion pump. A baffeled sorption trap isolates the shadowing chamber from the pumps.

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Interactions Between Al and Cr Thin Films

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100093158 ◽

1976 ◽

Vol 34 ◽

pp. 638-639

Author(s):

R. M. Anderson ◽

T. M. Reith ◽

M. J. Sullivan ◽

E. K. Brandis

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Room Temperature ◽

Vacuum System ◽

Processing Temperature ◽

Diffusion Couples ◽

Electronic Circuits ◽

Intermetallic Formation ◽

Si Substrates ◽

Aluminum Silicon

Thin films of aluminum or aluminum-silicon can be used in conjunction with thin films of chromium in integrated electronic circuits. For some applications, these films exhibit undesirable reactions; in particular, intermetallic formation below 500 C must be inhibited or prevented. The Al films, being the principal current carriers in interconnective metal applications, are usually much thicker than the Cr; so one might expect Al-rich intermetallics to form when the processing temperature goes out of control. Unfortunately, the JCPDS and the literature do not contain enough data on the Al-rich phases CrAl7 and Cr2Al11, and the determination of these data was a secondary aim of this work.To define a matrix of Cr-Al diffusion couples, Cr-Al films were deposited with two sets of variables: Al or Al-Si, and broken vacuum or single pumpdown. All films were deposited on 2-1/4-inch thermally oxidized Si substrates. A 500-Å layer of Cr was deposited at 120 Å/min on substrates at room temperature, in a vacuum system that had been pumped to 2 x 10-6 Torr. Then, with or without vacuum break, a 1000-Å layer of Al or Al-Si was deposited at 35 Å/s, with the substrates still at room temperature.

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Preparation of Backthinned Ceramic Specimens

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100117881 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

pp. 182-183

Author(s):

A. T. Fisher ◽

P. Angelini

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Analytical Electron Microscopy ◽

Vacuum System ◽

Back Surface ◽

Surface Microstructure ◽

Ion Milling ◽

Near Surface ◽

Depth Profiles ◽

Analytical Electron ◽

Ion Implanted

Analytical electron microscopy (AEM) of the near surface microstructure of ion implanted ceramics can provide much information about these materials. Backthinning of specimens results in relatively large thin areas for analysis of precipitates, voids, dislocations, depth profiles of implanted species and other features. One of the most critical stages in the backthinning process is the ion milling procedure. Material sputtered during ion milling can redeposit on the back surface thereby contaminating the specimen with impurities such as Fe, Cr, Ni, Mo, Si, etc. These impurities may originate from the specimen, specimen platform and clamping plates, vacuum system, and other components. The contamination may take the form of discrete particles or continuous films [Fig. 1] and compromises many of the compositional and microstructural analyses. A method is being developed to protect the implanted surface by coating it with NaCl prior to backthinning. Impurities which deposit on the continuous NaCl film during ion milling are removed by immersing the specimen in water and floating the contaminants from the specimen as the salt dissolves.

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