We have developed a system for cleaning of transmission electron microscope (TEM) without disassembling the microscope. The system is composed of a plasma generator and a vacuum pump which are operated effectively to produce sufficient amount of oxygen radicals inside a TEM column. The oxygen radicals can chemically etch the hydrocarbon-based contaminations accumlated on the inner wall of the TEM column without damaging the microscope. This system promises us high-resolution imaging and chemical analysis with high quality and reliability.
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Dramatic reduction of contamination: before cleaning (left) and after cleaning (right)
Black dots are formed when electron beam is passed through a sample in transmission electron microscope (TEM) before cleaning. After cleaning TEM with the developed cleaning system, no black dots were formed with electron beam irradiation for 3 minutes, and minimal amount was formed with 5 minute irradiation. Black dots appeared with 10 minute projection, but their thickness was reduced to one fifth. |
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| Relational Information |
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AIST TODAY Vol.8, No.8 p.18 (2008)
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No.30 Autumn
2008 [ PDF:3.3MB ]
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