Maintenance: Cleaning column parts
6-2
User Manual
C O N F I D E N T I A L –
limited rights
Feb 2018
Revision A
W A R N I N G !
The cleaning solvents ethanol and isopropanol are highly flammable! Do not use open flames and do not smoke while
cleaning. Ventilate the room properly.
Cleaning column parts
All column parts are polished before the instrument is delivered. For this reason, only occasional light polishing is
required to remove contamination that may build up on components in the column and specimen chamber as part
of normal operation. Any part that is exposed to the electron beam should be highly polished, and free of
contamination and/or scratches that can charge and thus degrade the image.
C a u t i o n !
Users are allowed to clean the final lens pole only from the outside!
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 is 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.
When the components are dry (a compressed air “duster” can speed drying), reassemble and return them 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 contact 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.
Cleaning stage mechanics
Checking the condition of the stage should be a weekly exercise, as many different samples may be exchanged in
this time period. Some samples may be powders or composite materials that inadvertently drop particles on or in
the stage. If a silicon wafer breaks in the chamber, it can shatter into hundreds of pieces. In this case the stage
should be thoroughly mechanically cleaned, if there are any visible pollutions before attempting movement again.
France
CIF
Switzerland
CIF
Germany
CIF
UK
CIF
USA
Soft Scrub
Table 6-1
Household Cleaners
Country
Name
Country
Name
