| Over a number of years, I have found it desirable to firmly
hold a sample in the SEM without the contamination problems (or sample
creep) associated with carbon tape. My approach to this has been to
make a small vice suitable for gripping the sample which will still
fit into a standard pin-mount style sample stage. I have made a number
of specimen holders over the last few years, at rock-bottom prices.
My recipe for a pin-mount style mini-vice is: |
| |
1. Grind or cut a small block of brass to the vice size
desired. |
| |
2. Drill one hole in the large face of the block the
size of the pin (typically around 3mm). |
 |
| |
3. Drill two parallel holes (the size for tap holes)
through the long axis of the block. |
| |
4. Cut off one end of the block perpendicular to the
two tap holes. |
| |
5. Tap the holes in the larger section of the block.
|
|
| |
6. Drill out the tap holes in the smaller section of
the block to make clearance holes. |
| |
7. Cut off a length of brass rod for the pin mount, and
solder it in place in the hole in the larger block. |
|
| |
8. Screw two bolts (brass recommended) into the large
block through the clearance holes in the smaller block. This is your
mini-vice. |
| |
9. De-burr, clean, and polish as desired. |
| For microscope stages that take a different style mount,
the brass rod can be replaced with the appropriate adaptor. I have
made these as small as 5mm on a side to as large as around 40mm; the
only limit is the size of your chamber and the load limit of your
stage. With proper tools several of these can be made in an hour;
with hand tools and what is available from the local hobby store,
maybe 1.5-2 hours each. |
Copyright 2001 Microscopy Today. Presented with permission.
