Vendor: Gatan
Model: 601
Purpose: TEM specimen preparation
Equipment description:
The Model 601 Gatan Tuned Piezo Cutting Tool is a precision instrument used to create discs, cylinders and rectangles from brittle samples such as semiconductors, oxides or metals. It is primarily used to cut and size samples for crossectional TEM sample preparation prior to dimple grinding and ion beam polishing procedures.
This equipment employs a piezoelectric crystal to ultrasonically vibrate a tubular cutting tool against a specimen. A slurry of water and boron carbide grit is applied around the tip of the tool, which causes particles in the slurry to impact the specimen, eroding away a circular or rectangular impression, eventually cutting a section from the specimen.
System specifications:
- Cutting tools available:
- 3 mm disc
- 2.8 mm disc
- 4 mm x 5 mm rectangle
- Sample size limits:
- Maximum sample thickness: 5 mm
Equipment features:
- Manually tuned frequency driver to optimize cutting speed and minimize mechanical and thermal damage
- Spring loaded platform applies constant force coupled with a magnetically held table to prevent lateral movement
- Integrated stereo microscope and X-Y table
- Broad selection of cutting tools
