EVAPORATED GERMANIUM FILMS AS SUPPORTS FOR MICROANALYSIS OF CARBON AND SILICON-CONTAINING SPECIMENS

A preparation procedure is described for producing specimen supports o f evaporated germanium. The germanium film is used as a replacement fo r films of carbon and silicon when microanalytical techniques like ene rgy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (XRMA) or electron energy loss spec troscopy (EELS) are focusing on particulates containing these elements . The supports can be produced with high reproducibility within a thic kness range of 15 to 30 nm and of a quality suitable also for high res olution transmission electron microscopy. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.