FEI Quanta FEG 250, User'S Operation Manual

Page: 135 / 228

Maintenance and Troubleshooting: Cleaning Procedures Overview
8-3
C a u t i o n !
Gold plated parts should not be polished with abrasive.
MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUE
To polish components, place a lint-free cloth on a flat surface (a glass
block is ideal) and apply a small amount of Soft Scrub or CIF and
distilled water to the cloth.
Place the part to be cleaned on the polish and rub with a circular
motion until all contamination has been removed. For inner surfaces,
use a cotton swab or wooden dowel as an applicator. A toothpick can
be used for small holes.
Lint-free nylon (not cotton) or latex surgical gloves should be worn
while handling parts to avoid contaminating just-cleaned surfaces.
Tweezers should be used to hold small parts.
After the part has been polished, remove the Soft Scrub/CIF cleaner
by washing in hot water. Inspect the part under a stereo microscope at
20× magnification to ensure that there is no remaining contamination
or polish residue. Wash the part in de-ionized or distilled water in a
beaker with an ultrasonic cleaner for several minutes.Transfer the part
to a clean beaker with alcohol or isopropanol and clean ultrasonically
again for several minutes.
Note:
Do not use an ultrasonic bath to clean the GSED or LFD detector.
When the components are dry (a compressed air ‘duster’ can speed
drying), reassemble and return to the column. If a part is stained, heat
it with hot water and immediately rinse with alcohol and dry using
compressed air.
Cleaning Tips
Parts exposed to the electron beam require periodic polishing. This
will ensure maximum performance of the instrument for many years.
Do not use metal polishes such as POL or WENOL to clean parts as
these can leave outgassing material. Be aware that threaded surfaces
should not be polished as these do not have contact to the beam and
are a source of outgassing if polish is trapped. Wash threads with
alcohol or isopropanol if absolutely necessary.
After cleaning, inspect all parts for residue and stains using a light
microscope.