Preparation of surfaces of composite samples for tip based micro-analyses using ion beam milling

Jan Pinc; Marcela Dendisová; Kateřina Kolářová; Ondrej Gedeon; Marie Švecová; David Hradil; Janka Hradilová; Vilém Bartůněk

doi:10.1016/j.micron.2018.09.003

Preparation of surfaces of composite samples for tip based micro-analyses using ion beam milling

Micron. 2019 Jan:116:1-4. doi: 10.1016/j.micron.2018.09.003. Epub 2018 Sep 10.

Authors

Jan Pinc¹, Marcela Dendisová², Kateřina Kolářová³, Ondrej Gedeon⁴, Marie Švecová⁵, David Hradil⁶, Janka Hradilová⁶, Vilém Bartůněk⁷

Affiliations

¹ The Department of Metals and Corrosion Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
² Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
³ Department of Solid State Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
⁴ Department of Glass and Ceramics, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
⁵ Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
⁶ Institute of Inorganic Chemistry of the CAS, v.v.i., ALMA Laboratory, 1001 Husinec-Řež, 250 68, Czech Republic; Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, ALMA Laboratory, U Akademie 4, 170 22, Prague 7, Czech Republic.
⁷ Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic. Electronic address: vilem.bartunek@vscht.cz.

PMID: 30219738
DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2018.09.003

Abstract

Ion beam milling, as a method of surface design for tip analytical techniques, was explored. A sample of clay, embedded in a resin, was treated by the ion beam and allowed AFM (a typical tip technique) to be successfully applied. The method is suitable for advanced tip analyses based on AFM, like TERS or SNOM, and for samples that are not possible to prepare by standard mechanical methods. The approach can be useful for characterisation of the surfaces of many different types of materials in versatile applications such as catalysis, corrosion science or advanced material characterisation.

Keywords: Atomic force microscopy; Composite; Ion beam; Material in resin; TERS; Tip methods.