IN-SITU LASER-HEATING IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPE

The environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) offers improved capabilities for coupling a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an in situ laser device compared with conventional SEMs. Such coupling g enerally enables, for example, the observation of laser glazing effect s or high-temperature behaviour as well as thermal shock behaviour of materials and devices. In an ESEM, decomposition caused by high-temper ature gas reactions can additionally be studied while monitoring the g aseous environment online with a mass spectrometer attached to the spe cimen chamber. In this work, we demonstrate the capabilities of an in situ laser system suitable for heating specimen in an in situ deformat ion stage, thus enabling the further study of the mechanical propertie s of materials far beyond temperatures accomplished by thermal heating stages.