Hi everyone. I am using Stainless steel as a substrate and deposit NiO-BCZY, BCZY and LSCF layers by PLD. Each layer thickness is 3 micron. After embedding the sample in epoxy resin I usually used Diamond cutter to do the cross section and afterwards do grinding. Using table top phenom SEM I can see the layers at scale bar of 5 micron but using FE SEM I can't see the layers even at 10 micron. Does anyone have experience of taking FE SEM of samples embedded in epoxy resins.
Most likely Phenom is imaging with backscattered electrons, which are fairly insensitive to charging. Most likely FEG is set up for imaging with secondary electrons, which are very sensitive to charging.
Depending on what are you trying to see, you can:
1. Switch FE SEM to BSE imaging mode and try low acceleration voltages in 1kV to 3kV range, preferably in immersion mode and/or with beam deceleration (if available).
2. After completing polishing of your cross-section sputter-coat it with 2nm to 5nm of Au, Au/Pd, Pt, Ir, Cr, etc... and ground entire perimeter of the sample with conductive paint. "High Conductivity Colloidal Silver" is my favorite, but some others ain't bad as well.
About everything is covered with Valery Ray 's answer. I just want to add that if you have option to coat with carbon, go for carbon (instead of metals). And for your (possible) future inquires like this one - please, attach pictures.
About everything is covered with Valery Ray 's answer. I just want to add that if you have option to coat with carbon, go for carbon (instead of metals). And for your (possible) future inquires like this one - please, attach pictures.
Vladimir Dusevich Valery Ray please see the attached image. With BSD I can see the thin films but with SE detector I can't focus. I want to focus down to 200 nm but its quite hard using both SE and BSD detector
Hi Muhammad,
Are you able to focus FE-SEM at same magnification on another *grounded* sample? Maybe the problem is with microscope alignment?
Did you sputter-coat or carbon-coat your sample *after* making the cross-section? If you didn't then charging of the epoxy could be preventing you from focusing..
Did you ground the metal and provided discharge path to ground for carbon or sputter coating layer? If you didn't then charging could be preventing you from focusing.
I do not see any charging effects on your picture. I strongly believe that a problem is with FE SEM (alignment, operator...) Try imaging other specimen (metal is better). Make both pictures (SE and BSE) on the same SEM, from the same place. By the way, do not use micron bar when making pictures: micron bars could be of different length. Use only magnification. Your two pictures were taken at different magnifications, 9k and 10k, not really good for comparison purposes. But when writing a paper use micron bar sizes and mention magnifications only if absolutely necessary.
Problem is solved after too much struggle. Sample preparation of epoxy sample is quite crucial for getting good quality image.
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