Using Hitachi TM4000II Plus

A. Information about the owner of the SEM

The owner of the Hitachi TM4000II Plus SEM & Oxford Instruments SDD EDS is the Unicam Hungary Ltd.

B. Logging in

The log-book can be found in the room in which the user has to write the following information:

name
name of supervisor (if applicable)
type and name of the measured sample(s)
time of turning on the instrument(s)
time of sample change(s)
used settings:
- high voltage
- beam current mode
- vacuum mode
- detectors
description of any malfunction, error, etc (in this case please use red pen)
time of turning off the instrument(s)

Documentation of using the SEM is a must!

C. Turn on the device

Hardware: A black toggle switch button can be found at the right side of the TM4000II SEM.

Software: The TM4000II software shortcut can be found on the Desktop of the computer.

D. Sample and sample holder

The sample holder can be found in a metal box in the first drawer of the SEM table. Sample holders consist of a metal disc (with one flat side and a side with an elevated section at the center) and a metal column. The flat side of the metal disc supports the area for the sample, the elevated area on the other side is the place which will attach to the metal column.

Sample holder can't be touched with naked hand! Please wear rubber gloves!

To attach your sample on the sample holder you have to use carbon tape (found in the metal box mentioned earlier). Place a piece of carbon tape on the area where you will put your sample and when placed, remove the 'non-sticky' cover. Place your sample gently on the newly exposed carbon tape. Be sure that your surface is parallel with the metal surface when using EDS!

Sample should be as clean as possible! Please wear rubber gloves and clean the sample with pure ethanol if applicable! Touching the clean sample is allowed only with rubber gloves!

After placing the sample 1 or 2 piece of carbon tape should put on the sample (= surface grounding; on the area that is not of interest!) so electrons can travel off the sample.

Grounding is applicable only if the sample is electric conductor and conductor vacuum mode is used during the measurement.

To set the working distance (should be as close as possible to 10.0 mm) you have to turn the two screws (image) on the metal column. To finalize the working distance put your sample holder on the working distance stand (image) with the white cylinder. The surface of your sample should be just beneath (<~1mm) the white cylinder. Working distance will be shown in the TM4000II software during the measurement.

E. Inserting/changing sample

Be sure the electron beam is turned off: the Start button is green on top left of the software window.

Press the 'EVAC/AIR' button, wait until the blinking white light turn to continuous white light. Gently open the specimen chamber, wear rubber gloves and insert the (new) sample with the sample holder to the stage. Make sure the sample holder inserted properly: the sample and the sample holder will not touch the top of the chamber!

Close the chamber carefully and press the 'EVAC/AIR' button. A flashing blue light will appear above the 'EVAC' text. When the vacuuming is finished the flashing blue light will change to a continuous blue light.

NEVER press the EVAC/AIR or the machine or turn on-turn off button before stopping the electron beam!!! Doing so can significantly damage the machine and a permanent ban will occur!

F. Using the TM4000II software

Two message will appear in the software after pressing 'EVAC/AIR' button, ignore them.

The 'Start' button will be active if the vacuum is set (i.e. the blue light will be continuous above the 'EVAC' text). Press the button to start the electron beam; one or two message will appear, ignore them.

Next to the start button the settings can be found that should always be checked before starting a work session (these should be documented in the log-book). Further right are the scan speed (fast, slow, reduced image) and save settings. Brightness, contrast and focus settings are found underneath the save settings. In the lower right part of the software interface an optical image display can be found.

G. Saving data

Proper location of the data: C:/Users/Public/Documents/SEMImage/discipline/Name/yyyymmdd/

Proper file name format: yyyymmdd-samplename-001.tif

H. Turn off the device

When the last measurements are done click on the STOP button on the top left of the screen as it will turn of the electron beam.

Press the 'EVAC/AIR' button, wait until the blinking white light turn to continuous white light. Gently open the specimen chamber, wear rubber gloves and remove the sample and the sample holder. Close the specimen chamber and press the 'EVAC/AIR' button and wait until the flashing blue light will change to a continuous blue light, press the black toggle (On/Off) switch on the right side of the instrument to turn off the SEM.

Remove the carbon tape used for surface grounding. Gently remove the sample (optionally using the scalpel: put the blade under your sample and gently try to lift the knife, this way your sample will separate from the carbon tape used for sample attaching). Remove carbon tape remnants from the sample holder. Put the sample holder into the metal box in the drawer. Clean after yourself and put everything to its place.

Please do not put the working distance stand into the drawer!

I. What to do in case of malfunction?

Be sure that all measurements are stopped (if not stop them!). Restart the TM4000II software. Notify an operator if the problem is still not solved.