Eliminates surface damage caused by the high-energy ion beam. Measures the real crystal structure instead of artifacts on TEM or SEM samples, with Technoorg's unique  endpolisher.

Low-energy ion mill for endpolishing

The Gentle Mill series ion polishers are partly or fully computer controlled systems for high-quality final polishing and cleaning  of TEM, XTEM, HRTEM, STEM and FIB samples and surface cleaning of SEM samples of best quality. The latest model of Gentle Mill, the Gentle Mill 3 is a fully automated machine allowing an easy-to-use, operator-independent, fast sample preparation procedure.

General

Technoorg Linda’s Gentle Mill series of ion mill workstation has been designed for easy cleaning and improving of  samples previously treated in standard, high-energy ion thinning systems or FIB columns. The Gentle Mill was proved to be an optimal extension to these systems, they are recommended to users who want to prepare TEM, XTEM, HRTEM, STEM, FIB and SEM samples of the best quality without amorphized surface layers, intermixing between the different layers in thin films and with minimum damage to the treated samples only within a few minutes. It is also applicable for quick thinning of dimpled or thin planar (<25 µm), mechanically polished samples.
The recently introduced Gentle Mill 3 is a fully automated, computer-controlled model that allows an easy-to-use, operator independent, fast sample preparation procedure from the setting of milling parameters to the detection of perforation.

[Dumbells in Si [110] thinned by ion milling using Gentle Mill™, high-magnification HRTEM image]

Features

• Artifact-free sample preparation technology 
• User-independent operation with the fully automated model of Gentle Mill 3: applicable in industrial environment
  
• Precise adjustment of milling parameters
• Outstanding low-energy ion gun (patented)
  
• Platform for direct application of 3D sample holders of Hitachi's FIB/STEM systems
  

State-of-the-art low-energy ion source

Gentle Mill™ operates with an outstanding patented (US Patent 6,236,3054) hot-cathode low-energy ion gun. The extremely low energy of the ion beam guarantees minimization of surface damage and ion beam induced amorphization. The exceptional construction of the ion source produces high ion beam current densities. High lifetime cathodes, when necessary can be replaced in as little as five minutes. All ion gun parameters, including accelerating voltage and cathode current are controlled automatically by a digital feedback loop, but can always be changed manually during the sample preparation procedure. The initial values of the ion source parameters are set either automatically or manually and are continuously displayed on the computer screen. If the sample preparation requires some rapid changes, the parameters of the ion source can be easily adjusted during the milling process.

Automated operation

The Gentle Mill™ is equipped with full computer control utilizing an easy-to-use graphical user interface. The Gentle Mill 3 provides a fully automated operation: setting of all milling parameters (such as ion energy, beam current, sample motion, tilt angle and milling time) can be stored or pre-programmed in arbitrary number of steps, gas flow optimization as well as perforation detection are done automatically. This feature allows to produce high-quality samples with minimal user intervention. Gentle Mill™ is supplied with a software extension for online support, which enables instant error detection and problem elimination through the Internet.

Vacuum system

The vacuum level in Gentle Mill™’s working chamber is maintained by a fully computer-controlled, oil-free vacuum system, utilizing Pfeiffer membrane and turbomolecular pump technology. The Gentle Mill™ employs a vacuum load-lock system, which enables rapid and precise sample exchange without breaking the vacuum. The air-lock chamber guarantees preservation of vacuum maintaining a clean milling environment and allows rapid configuration of the milling system after sample exchange. This setup is especially suitable for high-throughput applications.

Artifact-free sample surface

Gentle Mill™’s exclusive capability of producing damagefree samples at low-energy ion bombardment provides unique opportunity to study the real nanostructures in synthesized and natural materials in all fields of technical sciences and materials research. [[011] of GaAs samples thinned by ion milling at 3000 eV] [[011] of GaAs samples thinned by ion milling using Gentle Mill™ at 200 eV]

Application

The Gentle Mill™ can be applied widely in the fields of materials research, nanotechnology, semiconductor and optical industry. It is perfectly suited for preparation or final treatment of the following materials and structures: multilayer systems, semiconductors, high TC superconductors, composite materials, metals, ceramics, diamond films, glasses, rocks and minerals.

Accessories

• Ion Mill - Models IV3, IV4
• MicroSaw
• MicroPol
• MicroHeat

Specifications

Low-energy ion source (one fixed type)

• variable, continuously adjustable ion energy (100–2000 eV)
• variable, continuously adjustable ion current (7–90 µA)

Vacuum system

• original Pfeiffer computer-controlled vacuum system with oil-free membrane and turbomolecular pumps, equipped with compact full-range vacuum gauge (combined Pirani and Penning heads)
• vacuum load-lock system

Specimen adjustment

• electronically adjustable milling angle from 0° to 45° (in 0.1° increments)
• computer-controlled specimen rotation and oscillation from 0° to 120° (in 10° increments)
• remarkable thickness range of accepted TEM samples (30–200 µm)

Computer control

• built-in personal computer
• easy-to-use graphical interface
• highly automated operating regime for minimal user intervention
• milling and polishing cycles can be pre-programmed or manually set
• all important parameters can be easily changed by mouse clicking
• CCD camera image for real-time visual control (up to 400× magnification)

Size / weight

• width: 700 mm, height: 600 mm, depth: 670 mm
• weight: ca. 50 kg

Power requirements

• 100-120 V / 3.0 A / 60 Hz or 220-240V / 1.5 A / 50 Hz
• single phase

Download in PDF format (GM model IV5)

Download in PDF format (GM model IV8)