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Specifications for Hard Condensed Matter Specimens for Three-Dimensional High-Resolution Tomographies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2013

P. Bleuet ,
G. Audoit ,
J.-P. Barnes ,
J. Bertheau ,
Y. Dabin ,
H. Dansas ,
J.-M. Fabbri ,
B. Florin ,
P. Gergaud  and
A. Grenier
...Show all authors
P. Bleuet*
Affiliation:
CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
G. Audoit
Affiliation:
CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
J.-P. Barnes
Affiliation:
CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
J. Bertheau
Affiliation:
ST Microelectronics, 850 Rue Jean Monnet, 38920 Crolles, France
Y. Dabin
Affiliation:
European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, BP 220 - 38043 Grenoble, France
H. Dansas
Affiliation:
CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
J.-M. Fabbri
Affiliation:
CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
B. Florin
Affiliation:
CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
P. Gergaud
Affiliation:
CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
A. Grenier
Affiliation:
CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
G. Haberfehlner
Affiliation:
CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
E. Lay
Affiliation:
CEA, LITEN, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble, Cedex 9, France
J. Laurencin
Affiliation:
CEA, LITEN, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble, Cedex 9, France
R. Serra
Affiliation:
CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
J. Villanova
Affiliation:
European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, BP 220 - 38043 Grenoble, France
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: pierre.bleuet@cea.fr
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Abstract

Tomography is a standard and invaluable technique that covers a large range of length scales. It gives access to the inner morphology of specimens and to the three-dimensional (3D) distribution of physical quantities such as elemental composition, crystalline phases, oxidation state, or strain. These data are necessary to determine the effective properties of investigated heterogeneous media. However, each tomographic technique relies on severe sampling conditions and physical principles that require the sample to be adequately shaped. For that purpose, a wide range of sample preparation techniques is used, including mechanical machining, polishing, sawing, ion milling, or chemical techniques. Here, we focus on the basics of tomography that justify such advanced sample preparation, before reviewing and illustrating the main techniques. Performances and limits are highlighted, and we identify the best preparation technique for a particular tomographic scale and application. The targeted tomography techniques include hard X-ray micro- and nanotomography, electron nanotomography, and atom probe tomography. The article mainly focuses on hard condensed matter, including porous materials, alloys, and microelectronics applications, but also includes, to a lesser extent, biological considerations.

Keywords

X-ray tomographyelectron tomographyatom probe tomographyfocused ion beamsample preparation3D
Type
Equipment and Techniques Development: Materials
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 19 , Issue 3 , June 2013 , pp. 726 - 739
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2013 

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