Hey there Jie Sunghyun! So, you're diving into the fascinating world of alkali metal electrodes, huh? Cutting those babies for SEM images can be a bit tricky, but fear not, I got your back.

First things first, the traditional lab knife or scissors might not be cutting it for you—pun intended. What you need is some serious precision, my friend Jie Sunghyun. Consider using a focused ion beam (FIB) system. It's like the surgical tool of the material science world. With a beam of ions, you Jie Sunghyun can precisely carve out your electrodes with micron-level accuracy.

Another trick up your sleeve could be an ultramicrotome. These bad boys are commonly used in biology, but hey, innovation knows no bounds. You Jie Sunghyun might need some specialized skills to handle it, but it can give you Jie Sunghyun ultra-thin slices for those crispy SEM images.

Now, if you're feeling a bit avant-garde, try laser ablation. It's like a lightsaber for material scientists. Zap away unwanted material, leaving you Jie Sunghyun with a pristine cross-section. Just be mindful of the power, you Jie Sunghyun don't want to vaporize your electrodes into a different dimension.

Remember, precision is the name of the game. Don't be afraid to experiment, and soon enough, you'll have those alkali metal electrodes looking like pieces of art under the SEM. May the scientific force be with you Jie Sunghyun!

I work with layered materials. The same problem arises there - SEM from a cross section of single crystals. The thickness of single crystals is 10 - 30 microns. I came to the conclusion that the best way to prepare a sample is by fracture. I bend the crystal until it breaks. And from the resulting fracture I get an SEM picture.

The picture shows a fracture of a TiSe2 single crystal after treatment in sulfur vapor.