CleanMill argon ion grinding system

The traditional mechanical grinding method for preparing sample cross-sections inevitably results in mechanical damage and contamination caused by abrasive embedding in the sample. The use of argon ion beam cutting for sample preparation can produce a flat cross-section without mechanical damage and surface contamination, which is very suitable for preparing cross-sectional samples of battery materials and components for structural characterization analysis by scanning electron microscopy. Thermo Scientific CleanMillTM provides a comprehensive argon ion beam grinding solution for battery cross-section samples, which can achieve SEM imaging and characterization analysis of electron beam sensitive materials and air sensitive materials in their true state.

The Thermo Scientific CleanMillTM Argon Ion Beam Cross Sectional Grinding System (BIB-CP) is designed to provide a high-quality and efficient sample preparation solution for precise characterization. Its standard 16 keV ultra-high energy ion source has stronger sputtering ability and higher grinding efficiency while ensuring grinding quality. Meanwhile, low-energy ion sources can achieve non-destructive polishing and cleaning of samples with fine structures and susceptible to ion beam irradiation damage.

Many battery materials and components have the characteristics of electron beam sensitivity and air sensitivity. Thermo Scientific CleanMillTM is compatible with CleanConnectTM, making the Thermo Scientific IGST workflow complete. The CleanConnect sample transfer system provides an integrated solution with ultra-high cost-effectiveness, allowing samples to be quickly transferred to the electron microscope sample chamber under inert gas/vacuum. This vacuum interlocking solution uses a standard sample stage with a diameter of up to 25mm, greatly simplifying the transfer of different samples in the SEM/DualBeam system. The samples can be loaded into the CleanConnect sample compartment in the glove box, and then transferred to CleanMill for cross-sectional sample preparation through CleanConnect. Subsequently, the cross-sectional samples prepared in CleanMill were transferred to Thermo Scientific SEM for microstructure characterization using CleanConnect. Throughout the entire process, the sample was kept under inert gas protection to ensure its cross-sectional integrity. This workflow greatly simplifies sample transfer work, improves result acquisition speed, and achieves structural characterization of air sensitive materials in their true state.

key advantage

High energy ion guns can achieve rapid grinding and polishing

• Use a dedicated 90 ° sample stage to prepare cross-sectional samples

Automated parameter setting and operation, enabling sample rotation and swinging operations

• Sample preparation of air sensitive materials can be carried out, making the Thermo Fisher Inert Gas Sample Transfer (IGST) workflow more complete

Equipped with high-resolution CMOS camera and touch screen, it can observe the sample grinding process in real time

Low energy ion guns can be optionally selected to achieve non-destructive polishing and cleaning of samples with fine structures and susceptible to radiation damage.

Optional cold stage, which can automatically add liquid nitrogen during the freezing and grinding of electron beam sensitive samples

Thermo Scientific CleanMill is compatible with CleanConnect and the full IGST workflow, enabling characterization and analysis of air sensitive materials in their natural state.

Specifications

Ion gun selection

Standard configuration of ultra-high energy ion gun, continuously adjustable acceleration voltage

• 2 – 16 keV

Ion beam current range: 20-500 A

Splash rate:>500 m/hr

• Optional low-energy ion gun

Acceleration voltage: 100 eV -2 keV

Automated ion source setup

imaging system

High resolution CMOS camera with fixed X10 zoom function, whose digital zoom function can be continuously adjusted to X120

sample stage

Sample tilt: 0 ° to 180 °, 0.1 ° incremental sample rotation: 360 ° in-plane rotation

Sample oscillation: in-plane oscillation, from ± 1 ° to ± 180 °, 1 °/step

Sample holder types and load-bearing sizes

Standard surface polishing sample holder

• Carrying sample size Ø 30 mm x 15 mm CleanConnect compatible sample holder:

• Surface polishing

Carrying sample size Ø 28 mm x 3 mm

The interchangeable sample holder can support sample sizes Ø 20.5 mm x 8.5 mm

• Section polishing

90 ° sample holder: carrying sample dimensions of 10 mm (length) x 10 mm (width) x 3 mm (height)

vacuum system

• Oil free diaphragm pump and turbo molecular pump with (Pirani/Penning) vacuum gauge

Gas supply system

• Argon gas (purity 99.999%)

High precision gas flow control system

computer control system

• Easy to operate touch screen graphical user interface (Touch GUI)

System settings

Grinding parameter settings

Operation control

Touch GUI adopts Windows 11 system

Optional accessories

A liquid nitrogen refrigeration table with automatic filling function, which can achieve uninterrupted freezing, grinding and polishing

Sample adjustment and positioning device

• Other spare parts and consumables

• Suitable for glove box port devices that can load CleanConnect

Warranty and Training

• 1-year warranty

• Simplified design, only requiring simple training

User manual containing instructions for use

Installation requirements

Reserved installation port (other accessories cannot share this port)

• Environment: Same requirements as regular microscopes, see pre installation manual

There must be sufficient space on the right side of the instrument for using the CleanConnect transfer rod

System dimensions: 70 cm (width) x 70 cm (depth) x 61 cm (height)

Cross section of NMC cathode electrode prepared by CleanMill, imaged using Apreo 2S