title: Laser powered heating stage in a scanning electron microscope for microstructural investigations at elevated temperatures.
abstract: A laser powered heating stage designed for application in high vacuum environment of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is presented. It was developed to observe and characterize microstructural changes in crystalline materials at elevated temperatures up to 1000 degrees C. The approach utilizes the power output of a commercial infrared diode laser in order to heat up specimens without interference with the electronic system of the SEM. The heating stage can be used in combination with any standard characterization technique applicable for SEMs--electron backscatter diffraction, orientation contrast imaging, x-ray energy dispersive spectrometry, etc. The results of test measurements are presented.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physical Metallurgy and Metal Physics, RWTH Aachen University, Kopernikusstr. 14, D-52056 Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Dirk M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Kirch
authors.forename: Arndt
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ziemons
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Burlet
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lischewski
authors.forename: Xenia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Molodova
authors.forename: Dmitri A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Molodov
authors.forename: Günter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gottstein