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Preparation and Loading Process of Single Crystalline Samples into a Gas Environmental Cell Holder for In Situ Atomic Resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopic Observation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 March 2016

Rainer Straubinger ,
Andreas Beyer  and
Kerstin Volz
Rainer Straubinger*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Physics & Materials Science Center (WZMW), Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany
Andreas Beyer
Affiliation:
Faculty of Physics & Materials Science Center (WZMW), Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany
Kerstin Volz
Affiliation:
Faculty of Physics & Materials Science Center (WZMW), Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany
*
*Corresponding author. rainer.straubinger@physik.uni-marburg.de
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Abstract

A reproducible way to transfer a single crystalline sample into a gas environmental cell holder for in situ transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analysis is shown in this study. As in situ holders have only single-tilt capability, it is necessary to prepare the sample precisely along a specific zone axis. This can be achieved by a very accurate focused ion beam lift-out preparation. We show a step-by-step procedure to prepare the sample and transfer it into the gas environmental cell. The sample material is a GaP/Ga(NAsP)/GaP multi-quantum well structure on Si. Scanning TEM observations prove that it is possible to achieve atomic resolution at very high temperatures in a nitrogen environment of 100,000 Pa.

Keywords

STEMFIB preparationIII/V semiconductorenvironmental cellin situ
Type
Technique and Instrumentation Development
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 22 , Issue 3 , June 2016 , pp. 515 - 519
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2016

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