Used GATAN 691 #9278092 for sale

GATAN 691 is an ion milling equipment designed for specimen preparation. It is a physical vapor deposition (PVD) system that uses reactive ions to produce thin films of material on the specimen surface. 691 is used for creating extremely thin thin specimens for imaging with an electron microscope (SEM/TEM/STEM). GATAN 691 combines different processes into one unit, including sputter ion etching (SI), magnetron sputter deposition, and chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP). 691 is composed of three chambers that are all attached to a base, or substrate holder. The first chamber is the etch chamber, in which the specimen is placed for ion etching. The specimen is positioned with four sample holders, and the etch rate is determined by controlling the ion angle and beam current. Motors in the chamber move the sample holder to increase the exposure time, as needed, for obtaining the desired etch rate. The second chamber of GATAN 691 is the magnetron sputter deposition chamber. This chamber is used to deposit thin metal films of gold and chromium onto the etched surface of the sample. This is done to form an electrical contact for the sample. The deposition rate is adjustable to match the etching rate of the sample. The third chamber of 691 is the chemical-mechanical planarization chamber. This chamber is used to clean and smooth the specimen surface by polishing off deposition and etch residues. This chamber uses an abrasive medium, such as diamond or alumina, in conjunction with a pressurized fluid to mechanically remove material from the specimen surface. This process can be used to create a flat, homogeneous surface. Overall, GATAN 691 is an excellent tool for specimen preparation and thinning. It combines multiple processes into one machine, and it is highly customizable to meet the needs of the user. Additionally, due to its small size, it requires little to no floor space, making it suitable for use in a lab or educational environment.