Focused ion beam fabrication of field-ion microscope specimens from mechanically milled pearlitic steel powder.
Sharp needle-like specimens for atom-probe field-ion microscope (APFIM) analysis have been prepared successfully from mechanically milled pearlitic steel powders. Mechanically milled powders were packed in a stainless steel tube with carbonyl steel powders and then consolidated by sheath cold-rolling to obtain a bulk composite. A small square rod was cut out from the bulk and electropolished to a blunt needle. It was then fabricated to a nanometre-sized needle by a focused ion beam technique using an annular gallium ion beam. The tip radius of the specimen was <50 nm, which is suitable for use in APFIM.
Ohsaki
Satoru
S
Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba 305-0047, Japan. osaki.satoru@nims.go.jp
Hono
Kazuhiro
K
Hidaka
Hideyuki
H
Takaki
Setsuo
S
D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D011208:Powders; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D013232:Steel
D011208:Powders; D013232:Steel