Before being observed with a transmission electron microscope, the samples must be prepared: they need to be thin enough for the electron beam to pass through. The preparation techniques depend not only on the sample nature and morphology (degree of hardness, biological samples, etc.), but also on the type of characterization required.
Conventional methods involve thinning samples down to a few tens of nanometers. To achieve this, the PLASSMAT platform is equipped with several polishers, saws (diamond wire and disc), an inverted microscope (Olympus GX1), an ultramicrotome (Leica EM UC7), a cross section polisher (JEOL SM 09010) and a Precison Ion Polishing System (PIPS Gatan Model 691).
JEOL IB19520 ion beam polisher: this device makes an essential contribution to scanning electron microscope observation when it comes to observing a sample from the edge. It can refine the surface to be observed so that it is flat and relief-free, even at high magnification, revealing details inaccessible with any other preparation method. It can operate on a wide variety of samples, thanks to its liquid nitrogen-cooled stage (materials sensitive to heating produced by ion bombardment) and its air-protected transfer system (air-sensitive materials such as those containing lithium). The sample holder system is compatible with direct transfer in both JEOL microscopes (only in the IT 510 for air-protected transfer).
To know the rates and have access to our MET sample preparation instruments, please contact us by email:
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