Specifications for hard condensed matter specimens for three-dimensional high-resolution tomographies.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Physics
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Tomography is essential for characterizing the 3D morphology and physical properties of heterogeneous materials.
• Effective material property determination relies on detailed internal structural and compositional data.
• Various tomographic techniques necessitate specific sample preparation due to sampling conditions and physical principles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explain the fundamental principles of tomography that necessitate advanced sample preparation.
• To review and illustrate key tomography techniques, including hard X-ray micro/nanotomography, electron nanotomography, and atom probe tomography.
• To guide the selection of optimal sample preparation methods based on tomographic scale and application.

Main Methods:

• Review of established sample preparation techniques: mechanical machining, polishing, sawing, ion milling, and chemical methods.
• Focus on hard condensed matter applications, including porous materials, alloys, and microelectronics.
• Consideration of biological sample preparation for specific tomographic analyses.

Main Results:

• Detailed overview of sample preparation requirements for various tomography techniques.
• Highlighting the performance and limitations of different preparation methods.
• Identification of best-fit preparation strategies for specific tomographic scales and material types.

Conclusions:

• Sample preparation is a critical, often overlooked, factor in achieving high-quality tomographic data.
• Matching preparation techniques to the chosen tomography method and sample type is vital for accurate 3D characterization.
• This work provides a framework for selecting appropriate sample preparation for advanced materials analysis using tomography.