A Fast and Implantation-Free Sample Production Method for Large Scale Electron-Transparent Metallic Samples Destined for MEMS-Based In Situ S/TEM Experiments

Matheus A. Tunes, Cameron Quick, Lukas Stemper, Diego Santa Rosa Coradini, Jakob Grasserbauer, Phillip Dumitraschkewitz, Thomas Kremmer, Stefan Pogatscher

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Abstract

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are currently supporting ground-breaking basic research in materials science and metallurgy as they allow in situ experiments on materials at the nanoscale within electron microscopes in a wide variety of different conditions such as extreme materials dynamics under ultrafast heating and quenching rates as well as in complex electro-chemical environments. Electron-transparent sample preparation for MEMS e-chips remains a challenge for this technology as the existing methodologies can introduce contaminants, thus disrupting the experiments and the analysis of results. Herein we introduce a methodology for simple and fast electron-transparent sample preparation for MEMS e-chips without significant contamination. The quality of the samples as well as their performance during a MEMS e-chip experiment in situ within an electron microscope are evaluated during a heat treatment of a crossover AlMgZn(Cu) alloy.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1085
Pages (from-to)1-9
Number of pages9
JournalMaterials
Volume14.2021
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 26 Feb 2021

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