A powerful scanning electron microscope can only show its full performance if the specimen under observation has been properly prepared.
Specimens often consist of different layers of different materials, each of them having different hardness. This makes the preparation of high-quality cross sections by traditional mechanical polishing very challenging - if not impossible - as softer material layers will smear or be removed faster than harder layers, not mentioning about possible de-lamination of the individual layers by the mechanical polishing stress.
Also the creation of perfect mirror-like surfaces for EBSD analysis by pure mechanical polishing is challenging.
Hitachi's new hybrid Ar Ion Beam sample preparation system IM4000, succeeding the previous
E-3500 and
IM3000 and now combining their respective functions within a single instrument, will significantly enhance the preparation quality of your specimens with ease!
For details on the new hybrid-type broad Ar ion milling system IM4000, click here.
