CrAlN coatings were deposited by PVD method. Sample preparation is required before SEM/FIB analysis will be done.
Dear Dr. Kabir,
I have no experience in this kind of preparation. I am a theorist and my lab experiences are rather limited. Sorry I could't help.
Sincerely,
Jacques E. Schoutens
Dear Mohammad Shahrear Kabir,
Which kind of SEM/FIB analysis do you want to perform? But basically you should consider conductivity of the sample:
I have no idea, whether the CrAlN coating is conductive or not. If it is, you don't need the sample to be further prepared before the analysis. If the coating is an insulator, come metal or carbon (I think this should be better) coating of your sample needs to be done.
Other option is to use the microscope in low-vacuum mode and you will not need the sample coated.
Wish you luck
For what do you need a preparation in FIB? Isn't FIB your preparation?
How thick is your coating? What do you want investigate? The surface or the cross section? In case of cross section you need to stabilize your layer in order to prevent spalling of the layer or rounding of the sample edge. We have very good experiences using nickel plating before any kind of preparation. In case of non-conductivity of the nitride layer you can use a thin gold coating before plating.
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