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The JEOL Cross Section Polisher (CP) consists of aspecimen chamber with a turbo pump vacuum system, an

optical microscope for specimen positioning, and controlsfor the vacuum system and stationary ion beam (Fig. 1).The specimen stage in the chamber features a holder andmasking plate.

To produce a cross section using the CP, the specimenis placed in the holder, and the region of the sample to becross sectioned is selected under the optical microscope.

4. (a) Back-scattered image of galvanized coating sample sectioned with the CP; (b) Close up of the eutectic phase.

5. (a) Cross section of a paper sample, (b) shows the structure of the paper coating.

6. (a) Back-scattered image of a thin metal coating on glass; (b) EBSD map of the sample.

The masking plate isplaced across the se-lected region. Afterevacuating the speci-men chamber, theregion is irradiatedwith a broad argon ion

beam with a selectableaccelerating voltagerange of 2 to 6kV.

During milling,the specimen stagecan be automaticallyrocked 30o to pre-vent beam striationsand insure uniformetching of compositematerials with differ-ent hardnesses, pre-venting the soft por-tions from being cutfaster than the hardportions. As it is not amechanical polishingmethod, abrasives arenever embedded inthe polished surface,and samples that aresensitive to heat canbe prepared withoutdistortion.

The instrument

is set up on a timer,allowing unattendedoperation during thepolishing process.

Advantages of theCP over other prepa-ration techniques in-clude: High quality crosssections of compos-ites of soft and hard

materials

Minimum strain and distortion of the polished surface,enabling one to observe grain contrast (channeling con-trast) clearly and easily

Large cross section areas are obtained compared to FIBmethods (a single cut is typically 1.5 mm wide and sev-eral hundreds of microns deep)

No particle embedding in the polished surface as com-pared to mechanical polishing

Ease of operation

24 n MICROSCOPY TODAYMay 2006

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