A comparative study of thin coatings of Au/Pd, Pt and Cr produced by magnetron sputtering for FE-SEM

Visualization of structural details of specimens in field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) requires optimal conductivity. This paper reports on the differences in conductive layers of Au/Pd, Pt and Cr, with a thickness of 1.5–3.0 nm, deposited by planar magnetron sputtering devices. The coating units were used under standard conditions for source–substrate distance, current, HT and argon pressure. Carbon films, deposited by high-vacuum evaporation on small, freshly cleaved pieces of mica, were used as substrate and mounted on copper grids for TEM and SEM inspection. Au/Pd, Pt and, to a lesser extent, Cr coatings varied in particle density, size and shape. Au/Pd coatings have a slightly more granular appearance than Cr and Pt coatings, but this is strongly dependent on the type of sputtering device employed. In FE-SEM images there is almost no difference in contrast and particle size between the Au/Pd layer and the Pt layers of a similar thickness. The nuclei of Au/Pd are rather small with almost no growth to the sides or in height, making Au/Pd coatings a good alternative to chromium and platinum for FE-SEM of biological tissues because of its higher yield of secondary electrons.