The in situ cleaning of specimens in the field ion microscope by argon ion bombardment

Abstract

The extensive adoption of argon bombardment cleaning techniques for specimens used in LEED and Auger studies, and the frequent, and often difficult, requirement of preparing field ion emitters, and their supports, free from contamination, led to the investigation of in situ argon ion bombardment of specimens in the field of ion microscope, both from the point of view of the efficiency of the cleaning process, and the investigation of ensuing surface and lattice damage, a task to which the technique of field ion microscopy is particularly appropriate. Experiments were carried out in some detail for tungsten specimens, and subsequently extended to the hexagonal metal, rhenium, with a view to obtain information on the thermally annealed end forms of such metals. In both cases, very small radius clean thermally annealed specimens could be prepared.