Model 550D Single Vertical Jet Electropolisher

Electrolytic or Chemical Thinning

The Model 550D Single Vertical Jet Electropolisher is designed to perform dislocation free thinning of materials for subsequent analysis in a Transmission Electron Microscope. This extremely versatile instrument can be used to thin metals and alloys electrolytically with corrosive electrolytes such as perchloric acid at low temperatures; or to thin nonmetals and semiconductors such as silicon and gallium arsenide, chemically, using nitric hydrofluoric or bromine-methanol solutions. A new nonacid electrolyte has been developed to thin such materials as YBa2Cu3Ox high Tc superconductors, gold and other traditionally difficult materials. It's high sensitivity is capable of routinely detecting perforations less than 10m in diameter and its smooth polishing action yields large usable thin areas.

Advantages Over Twin-Jet Systems

• More accurate control of jet flow rate, height and diameter allows user to easily adjust parameters for the preparation of a wide variety of materials.
• More amenable to highly viscous electrolytes which enables the use of non-acid electrolytes such as the BK-2 solution often used to thin YBa2Cu3Ox High Tc superconductors and other traditionally difficult materials.

• The sample, which is not immersed in the electrolyte, can be viewed through a magnifier during the entire thinning operation thus allowing the user to monitor and more easily control the thinning process.
• The system is amenable to semiconductor chemical polishing as it will withstand such harsh chemicals as HF and bromine solutions.

• As the sample is not immersed in electrolyte, it can be quickly and easily flushed after perforation without removing the sample holder from the unit.
• The Model 550D uses a higher voltage power supply than twin-jet units which enables thinning of many materials that cannot be thinned at lower voltages.

• Surface polishing of an entire disc can be accomplished utilizing a 3mm diameter nozzle.
• Sample polarity can be reversed which can be used to remove oxides from the surface of some materials.

• Simple to operate at low temperatures and has been used extensively at -60C with perchloric acid electrolytes.
• Permits thinning from 1 side without etching back side to examine surface regions and sample can easily be reversed for two sided thinning.

Specifications