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1
Introduction
2
Sample Introduction
• Press the "AIR" button on the front of the microscope to vent the chamber. Venting takes
about two minutes, and the microscope will beep when venting is complete.
• Open the chamber fully, remove any sample and holder.
• Insert the CL detector. To insert press the brass locking button and gently push in the detector
until it hits its hard stop.
• Measure the height of your sample mounted on the holder with the brass stub using the scale.
Add 35mm to the measured height. This is the number you will enter in the sample height field.
If you are using the dedicated zircon mount holder enter a value of 15mm for the sample height.
Select a value for the sample width (this is the width of the holder). The value is not important
if you will not be tilting the sample. Click on "Stage Move". The stage will move to the position
you entered. Check visually that the sample will sit below the CL detector when it is inserted.
• Gently close the chamber door, if you feel any resistance stop immediately and check your sample
height.
• Once the door is fully closed, press the "EVAC" button on the front of the SEM. The chamber
will pump down within three minutes.
3
Beam Conditions
• Set the aperture to position 2.
• Select an accelerating voltage of 15kV.
• Select a beam current of about 70-75.
• Select the SE detector in the Image pane on the right of the GUI.
• Turn on the beam (Acc. V. ON).
4
Imaging and Alignments
• At a low magnification, adjust the brightness and contrast to get an SE image.
• Focus and stigmate the image.
• At low magnification adjust the aperture X and Y knobs to maximize the image brightness.
N.B. Only adjust one at at time, never both at once!
• Open the alignments panel ("Align"). Adjust the aperture align to remove any image movement
using the SEM control panel X and Y knobs. This should be performed on a small feature on
the sample so the image shift is apparent.
• At the lowest magnification adjust the beam shift and tilt using the X and Y knobs to maximize
image brightness.
• Turn on the MiniCL control box.
3
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