I have seen a SEM image of a paper, in wich it is observed the columns of the thin film, and the substrate.
Could anyone tell me please how to obtain that image?
Can I use tape in the growing process of the film, or There is a better way for that?
I need to verify columnar growth.
I attach the image.
Thank you very much.
There are several opportunities. The easiest is the shown image. Break your sample and image the fracture. If you are lucky you will find similar images. The other and more common way is a cross section preparation. Whereas the upper image is a secondary electron image and based on topography contrast, cross-section preparation offers you to use orientation contrast imaging using backscattered electrons (BSE). If you do not have a BSE detector, don't worry. Change the suction voltage of your SE detector to zero and you will see at lest this part of BSE which is directed to the (small) SE detector area.
The preparation of a cross section might be challenging since for very thin samples you generate rounding effects in the scale of the layer thickness. We protect this by a Ni-plating of the sample, sometimes thicker than 0.5mm. If your layer is thick enough you don't have to do this and a cross section polishing down to 1µm followed by about 10-20min silica or OPS etching would generate fantastic orientation contrast images.
It looks like a film is fractured on your picture.
If your can try to brake your film. Grow it on a fragile substrate, like Si or glass (prescored, so it will be easier to brake after film is obtained).
There are several opportunities. The easiest is the shown image. Break your sample and image the fracture. If you are lucky you will find similar images. The other and more common way is a cross section preparation. Whereas the upper image is a secondary electron image and based on topography contrast, cross-section preparation offers you to use orientation contrast imaging using backscattered electrons (BSE). If you do not have a BSE detector, don't worry. Change the suction voltage of your SE detector to zero and you will see at lest this part of BSE which is directed to the (small) SE detector area.
The preparation of a cross section might be challenging since for very thin samples you generate rounding effects in the scale of the layer thickness. We protect this by a Ni-plating of the sample, sometimes thicker than 0.5mm. If your layer is thick enough you don't have to do this and a cross section polishing down to 1µm followed by about 10-20min silica or OPS etching would generate fantastic orientation contrast images.
Dear Luis,
Except using a fragile substrate, you could try with a metal foil (for example Ta or Ti). After the coating process, make a small cut with а кnife or scissors, and then tear the whole material up by hand. In that way the coating near the break down zone will be fragmented and you will be able to see its columnar structure.
Good luck!
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