The Possibilities And Limits Of Preparing Glasses, Non Conductors And Their Surface Layers For Electron-Microscope Analysis.

A method is described for preparing etched surfaces of glasses or non-conductors, including thin sections even of very in homogeneous samples, for investigation by transmission electron microscopy, and also transverse sections of surface coatings, by using an ion atomiser. A method for measuring the ion etched surfaced and to define the specific energy loss. Results obtained by measuring the specific energy loss and rates of corrosion, combined with a theory of ion atomisation by Brandt and Laubert, show the limits of applicability of ion atomisation in preparing glasses and non conductors for electron microscope analysis.