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A Mechanical Method for Preparing TEM Samples from Brittle Films on Compliant Substrates

  • A.A. Taylor , M.J. Cordill , G. Moser and G. Dehm
Published/Copyright: May 8, 2013
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Practical Metallography
From the journal Practical Metallography Volume 48 Issue 8

Abstract

Preparing transmission electron microscopy (TEM) samples from thin films is technically challenging and traditional preparation routes can sometimes introduce unacceptable artefacts or even prove impossible. A novel method of preparing plan view TEM samples from thin films by a purely mechanical method is assessed. Two examples of films prepared by this route are briefly presented, a Cr film on PET and an amorphous AlxOy film on Cu. The application of this method allows for TEM analysis of the Cr film without the problems associated with a polymer such as PET disintegrating under the electron beam. For the AlxOy films it is demonstrated that this purely mechanical preparation prevents crystallisation of the film resulting from conventional ion milling preparation routes. The technique also allows for an upper bound of thickness approximation for these films.

Aidan A. Taylor received his B.A. degree in Materials Science and Metallurgy from Cambridge University in 2007. He then received his Dipl. Ing. in Material Physics from Montanuniversität Leoben in 2008 and since then has been working towards his Ph.D. qualification at the same institution. His research interests include TEM, metal-ceramic interfaces and thin film systems.

Megan J. Cordill studied at Washington State University before going on to complete her doctorate at the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Cordill currently holds a post-doctoral position at Montanuniversität Leoben where her research is focussed on nanoindentation techniques and thin film adhesion.

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Received: 2010-8-8
Accepted: 2011-4-27
Published Online: 2013-05-08
Published in Print: 2011-08-01

© 2011, Carl Hanser Verlag, München

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Contents/Inhalt
  2. Inhalt / Contents
  3. Editorial
  4. Editorial
  5. Technical Contributions/Fachbeiträge
  6. Charakterisierung der Dispersität der Mikrostruktur von Wolframschmelzcarbiden
  7. Microstructural Changes during Vacuum Carburizing of Steels
  8. A Mechanical Method for Preparing TEM Samples from Brittle Films on Compliant Substrates
https://doi.org/10.3139/147.110113

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Contents/Inhalt
  2. Inhalt / Contents
  3. Editorial
  4. Editorial
  5. Technical Contributions/Fachbeiträge
  6. Charakterisierung der Dispersität der Mikrostruktur von Wolframschmelzcarbiden
  7. Microstructural Changes during Vacuum Carburizing of Steels
  8. A Mechanical Method for Preparing TEM Samples from Brittle Films on Compliant Substrates
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