Microscopy:
Scanning electron microscope/ EDS:
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) belongs to electron microscopes and is linked with an EDS (energy dispersive spectroscope) for elemental analysis. Scanning electron microscopes are used because of their depth of focus and high resolution.
But it does not provide colour information. The brightness of the picture elements is majorly influenced by the atomic number; the heavier the element the brighter the sample appears. Elements from boron to uranium can be determined.
Most plastics are non-conductive and become therefore electrostatically charged, which results in disturbance of the pictures. This can be prevented with a coating of a thin electroconductive layer made of carbon or gold, which is applied with a sputter coater.
A possibility to examine non-conductive sample without preparatory treatment is the use of the “low-vacuum” technology. Furthermore, for an examination by SEM, the sample should be free of water, solvents and other substances that outgas in a vacuum.
Our sample chamber is equipped with a motorised sample table, which can hold samples up to a height of approx. 50 cm. Larger samples can be trimmed to the required size in our workshop with various separating machines.
Many problematic issues like for example a false layer thickness or a defective soldering joint are better recognisable with grinding than with top view. That is the reason why we dispose of grinding and polishing machines for producing grindings.
Typical applications are:
- Identification of residues on components
- Documentation and measurement of products
- Determination of layer structure and layer thickness, for example of contacts
- Fracture and failure analysis
Analogue and digital microscopes:
We have light and digital microscopes with different magnification ranges, up to 1000x. We utilize these microscopes for preparing the samples and accurately documenting them.