Glow Discharge; Choosing A Glow Discharge Protocol - Leica EM ACE600 Operating Manual

Set a voltage and time for pre-heating the material. The instrument starts with the
minimum voltage and ramps up until a suitable deposition rate is reached up to
the maximum voltage. Then it controls the parameters to maintain this rate. If a
suitable deposition cannot be reached up to the maximum voltage, the deposition
is terminated and a message is displayed on the screen.
4.10

Glow discharge

The glow discharge is an optional process that is used mainly to make TEM grids
hydrophilic. Air is used to create plasma. This process can also be used to clean
the sample surface before coating.
After choosing a protocol, the system will perform the following steps
automatically.
 Pumping until process vacuum is reached
 Letting in air to adjust vacuum to set pressure
 Stabilizing vacuum and starting glow discharge with closed shutter (purple
plasma is visible)

Termination of glow discharge process by the set time

Displaying the results of the process

Venting or staying in vacuum

4.10.1 Choosing a glow discharge protocol

Select glow discharge on the first screen to enter the process screen. In the
library of recipes (1) all stored protocols are available and can be chosen. Tapping
on the characteristics of the protocol (2) opens the list of recipes. There the
parameters for the process can be changed and saved. Only time can be adjusted
on the process screen (3). Once everything relevant for the coating process is
defined, the process can be started (4).
Operating Manual Leica EM ACE600 Version 01/19 Page 95