TEM In-situ heating to replicate service conditions

An investigation to examine the effectiveness of new technology to allow the in-situ heating of samples within the closed environment of a TEM. The in-situ investigation for bulk materials was enabled by focussed ion beam sample preparation. Site specific TEM samples are produced and transferred onto a heating chip using our in-house FEI Nanolab FIB. The chip allows for heating up to 1300°C with heating and quenching rate 200°C/millisecond.

The microstructure of the material can be studied in real time as it is being heated or cooled, even thermal cycles can be simulated at a fast rate. This new development allows us to study dislocations and precipitation/dissolution of second phases as a function of temperature to name a couple of examples.

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In-situ micro bend testing of SiC and the effects of Ga+ ion damage

Abstract:
The Young's modulus of 6H single crystal silicon carbide (SiC) was tested with micro cantilevers that had a range of cross-sectional dimensions with surfaces cleaned under different accelerating voltages of Ga+ beam. A clear size effect is seen with Young's modulus decreasing as the cross-sectional area reduces. One of the possible reasons for such size effect is the Ga+ induced damage on all surfaces of the cantilever. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to analyse the degree of damage, and the measurements of damage is compared to predictions by SRIM irradiation simulation

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