The
CMU MRSEC
supports
three
Shared
Experimental
Facilities:
- Orientation
Imaging
Microscopy
Laboratory
(OIM)
- Surface
Preparation
and
Analysis
Laboratory
- Scanning
Auger
Electron
Microscopy
Laboratory
Orientation
Imaging
Microscopy
Laboratory
(OIM)
The
OIM
consists
of
a Philips
XL40
FEGSEM,
equipped
with
a large
specimen
chamber
and
a Peltier
cooled
CCD
camera
for
acquisition
of
electron
backscattering
patterns.
The
camera
mount
has
also
been
upgraded
to
a stepper
motor
driven
screw
drive,
allowing
the
camera
position
to
be
controlled
to
meet
the
diffraction
requirements
of
the
experiment.
Recently,
provisions
for
fitting
a hot
stage
to
run
in-situ
annealing
and
orientation
data
acquisition
experiments
have
been
implemented,
and
have
been
preliminarily
successful.
Data
collection
is
provided
by
commercial
OIM
software
acquired
from
TSL,
and
runs
on
a windows
PC
workstation.
The
OIM
is
part
of
the Earl
and
Mary
Roberts
Materials
Characterization
Laboratory that
houses
the
department's
X-ray
and
microscopy
facilities.
The
MCL
also
contains
a classroom
from
which
students
can
remotely
control
the
microscopes.
Surface
Preparation
and Analysis
Laboratory
The
Center's
research
demands
state-of-the-art
sample
surface
preparation.
Our experiments
rely
on the
ability
to prepare
very
flat,
polished
surfaces,
and to
remove
very
thin
sections
with
a high
degree
of parallelism.
To meet
these
demands,
we have
assembled
several
kinds
of polishing,
lapping
and precision
milling
instruments.
For sectioning
of soft
metals
we have
installed
a diamond-milling
system
(Reichert-Jung
Polycut
E with
Ultramiller)
capable
of the
precision
removal
of ~1
micon
layers.
A precision
spindle
polishing
machine
(Strasbaugh
Polishmaster)
can
be used
for
mechanical
polishing
of metal
and
ceramic
samples.
We have
also
acquired
a Logitec lapping
and polishing
system
which
provides
much
more
rapid
polishing
action
(in comparison
with
the Strausbaugh
polisher)
while
still
maintaining
excellent
parallelism.
Using
the Logitec
system,
 we are
able
to polish
samples
flat
to within ± 0.5
microns
over
distances
of 1
cm and
are able
to remove
thicknesses
as small
as 5
microns.
The facility
also
includes
optical
microscopes,
an electropolisher
for the
finishing
of metallic
specimens,
and an
inductively
coupled
gauge
head
to determine
sample
parallelism
and
the thickness
of removed
layers.
The
atomic
force
microscope
capabilities
in
this
facility
have
recently
been
extended
so
that
we
can
map
large
areas
of
the
sample
surface
both
by
contact
AFM
and
by
optical
microscopy.
This
is
accomplished
with
the
ThermoMicroscopes
M5
microscope.
The
optical
mapping
capability
is
useful
for
establishing
real
space
maps
of
grain
boundary
positions.
By
combining
these
images
with
OIM
data,
we
are
able
to
construct
the
high
resolution
orientation
maps
needed
to
measure
the
five
parameter
grain
boundary
distribution.
The
M5
also
features
programmable
stage
motion
for
automated
data
collection
via
AFM.
This
has
been
employed
to
collect
very
large
data
sets
over
extended
periods
with
minimal
user
interaction.
Scanning
Auger
Electron
Microscopy
Laboratory
This
facility
consists
of a
PHI Model
600 scanning
Auger
microprobe
(SAM).
Recently,
the instrument
was upgraded
with
a modern
PC based
computer,
new controlling
electronic
modules,
and new
software
that
improves
our capabilities
to acquire,
process,
and transmit
the data.
In early
2003,
we plan
another
software
upgrade
that
will
increase
the number
of acquisition
points,
from
40 to
1000,
in the
Multiplex
mode.
This
mode
allows
acquisition
of semi-quantitative
elemental
compositions
at specific
points
on the
sample
surface.
This
will
be especially
useful
for our
study
on GBs
segregation,
where
a wide
range
of GBs
have
to be
chemically
analyzed
on fracture
surfaces.
facilities
at
MRSEC.org:
A listing
of facilities
at other
universities
that
are part
of the
national
network
of Materials
Research
Sceince
and Engineering
Centers. |
