一般財団法人材料科学技術振興財団　MST List of Products and Services

The IP method is a technique that utilizes the sputtering phenomenon, where sample atoms are ejected from the sample surface when an ion beam with aligned energy and direction is irradiated onto the sample. The ion species used is typically a noble gas (Ar in MST) that does not pose concerns about chemical reactions with the sample. In the AES analysis of the processed surface, the components of the shielding plate (Ni, P) were below the detection limit.

The Ar ion milling method is a processing technique used to create thin film samples for transmission electron microscopy with a thickness of less than 50 nm by performing mechanical polishing followed by finishing with a low-energy Ar ion beam.

Ultramicrotome processing is a method that uses a diamond knife to cut bulk samples and produce ultra-thin sections for transmission electron microscopy with a thickness of less than 100 nm. Unlike processing using ion beams, it allows for the production of a wide range of sections in the atmosphere. Biological materials and soft polymer materials, which are difficult to cut at room temperature, can also be made into ultra-thin sections by cryofixation.

■Features ? By handling samples under atmospheric non-exposure, it is possible to minimize alteration and changes even for highly reactive samples. ? Cutting, peeling, and surface preparation under atmospheric non-exposure can reduce secondary contamination and oxidation from the atmosphere. ? Methods that can be evaluated under atmospheric non-exposure: SIMS, TOF-SIMS, AES, XPS, SEM, TEM, STEM, Raman, XRD, FIB, etc.

FIB refers to a focused ion beam with diameters ranging from several nanometers to several hundred nanometers, which can be used to etch specific areas (sputtering) or deposit materials such as carbon (C), tungsten (W), and platinum (Pt) onto specific regions by scanning the sample surface. Additionally, the shape of the processed sample can be recognized through SIM images, which detect secondary electrons generated by irradiating the sample with the ion beam. - Arbitrary shape processing through etching in micro-regions (several nanometers to several tens of micrometers) is possible (typical processing size: around 20 μm) - Sample preparation for SEM, SEM-STEM, and TEM imaging (cross-sections of specific areas can be produced) - Fine pattern deposition and thin film formation (C, W, Pt deposition) are possible in the range of several micrometers to several tens of micrometers - High-resolution SIM (Scanning Ion Microscope) imaging is possible (acceleration voltage 30 kV: 4 nm) - Observation of metal crystal grains (Al, Cu, etc.) is possible with SIM images.

Features - Soft samples can be hardened and machined by cooling. - Cooling to temperatures near liquid nitrogen is possible. - The temperatures of the sample, atmosphere, and microtome blade can be set independently. - It is mainly effective for processing soft materials (such as biological samples and polymer materials) at room temperature, and gel-like materials can also be processed by cooling.

On the surface of cell culture dishes, treatments are performed to convert hydrophobic plastic surfaces to hydrophilic ones in order to enhance cell adhesion. In this study, the surfaces of dishes that underwent hydrophilic treatment were evaluated using XPS and TOF-SIMS, revealing an increase in OH and CHO groups. By conducting quantitative evaluations with XPS and qualitative evaluations with TOF-SIMS, it is possible to capture how the surface has changed.

In secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), due to phenomena such as surface roughness, the knock-on effect where atoms present on the surface are pushed inward by ion irradiation, and crater bottom roughness, it may not be possible to obtain sharp elemental distributions. To address this issue, the SSDP method (Back-Side SIMS) involves performing SIMS analysis from the substrate side (the back side) after thinning the sample. This technique allows for a more accurate evaluation of elemental distribution without being affected by the sample shape or measurement conditions.

The IP method utilizes the sputtering phenomenon, where sample atoms are ejected from the sample surface when an ion beam with aligned energy and direction is irradiated onto the sample. It is also referred to as the CP method (Cross-section Polish). The ion species used is typically a noble gas (Ar in MST) that does not pose concerns for chemical reactions with the sample. In the AES analysis of the processed surface, the components of the shielding plate (Ni, P) were below the detection limit. ■Features - Wide-area cross-section processing is possible (approximately 500μm to 1mm) - No impact from mechanical polishing damage - Minimal surface contamination - Non-exposure to the atmosphere, cooling processing is possible

There are mainly three types of dyes, which are used according to the observation target. - Osmium tetroxide (OsO4) It selectively reacts with the unsaturated polymer material's ?CH=CH- (double bond). - Ruthenium tetroxide (RuO4) It cross-links with the amorphous parts of saturated polymer materials such as polyolefins. - Phosphotungstic acid (H3[P(W3O10)4]·xH2O, abbreviated as PTA) It reacts with polyamides and other materials containing the -CONH functional group.

? High-speed sample processing is possible with pico-second pulse lasers. ? Light-transmitting samples such as glass can also be processed.

It achieves high positional accuracy and wide-area cross-section production, making it usable as a new large-capacity analysis application. Even small structures within a large area can be targeted for processing, enabling wide-area structural analysis.

The charge and discharge characteristics of lithium-ion secondary batteries are influenced by electronic conductivity. I will introduce a case where the decreased conductivity of active materials, due to degradation or blockage of conduction paths, was visualized as a resistance value distribution using SSRM. By comparing the results obtained from SSRM with the elemental distribution of Li and other elements measured by TOF-SIMS, it is possible to confirm the correlation between resistance values and elemental distribution. Additionally, it is feasible to classify conductive additives and binders based on resistance values, perform statistical processing, and quantify the mixing degree for each material.

Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are capacitors designed to increase capacitance by layering ceramic dielectric and electrodes. The electrical properties of MLCCs are significantly affected by impurities, making the evaluation of impurities in the ceramic layers and the diffusion of electrode components important. With the miniaturization of MLCCs, the ceramic layers have become thinner, making it difficult to evaluate impurities. This document introduces the results of evaluating impurities in the ceramic layers by innovating the pretreatment process.

When evaluating the internal structure of materials, it is necessary to expose the internal structure while maintaining it through cross-sectional processing techniques such as cutting and polishing. This document introduces a case where the microtome method, which has a relatively small impact from processing damage, was used to create cross-sections of hair, followed by AFM observation of the internal structure and evaluation of elastic modulus. The microtome method is a cutting processing technique widely used in the field of soft materials, such as rubber materials and biological samples, and this approach has made it possible to evaluate the mechanical properties of the internal structure of these materials. [Measurement and Processing Methods] [AFM] Atomic Force Microscopy [AFM-MA・AFM-DMA] Mechanical Property Evaluation (Elastic Modulus Measurement, Dynamic Viscoelasticity Measurement) Ultra Microtome Processing *For more details, please download the PDF or feel free to contact us.