SPECIMEN PREPARATION AND ATOM-PROBE FIELD-ION MICROSCOPY OF BSCCO-2212 SUPERCONDUCTORS

Field ion specimens of Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox (BSCCO) high temperature supercon ductor (HTS) materials have been prepared using a combination of three different preparation techniques: the method of sharp shards, electro polishing and ion milling. Field ion microscopy (FIM) has demonstrated that samples which exhibit the ''striped''-image contrast characteris tic of HTS materials can be successfully fabricated using this combina tion. FIM images have been obtained which show the striped-image contr ast much clearer than any previously published images of Pb-free BSCCO . Preliminary atom probe (AP) chemical analysis of the material was al so performed. Analytical electron microscopy was used to confirm the e xistence of both the correct crystallographic structure and nominal co mposition in the near-apex region of the specimen after preparation an d FIM.