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Updated: Jan 26, 2026

Atom Probe Tomography Analysis of Exsolved Mineral Phases
Published on: October 25, 2019
An in-situ approach for preparing atom probe tomography specimens by xenon plasma-focussed ion beam
J E Halpin1, R W H Webster1, H Gardner2
1SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
Abstract:
A method for the rapid preparation of atom probe tomography (APT) needles using a xenon plasma-focussed ion beam (FIB) instrument is presented and demonstrated on a test sample of Ti-6Al-4V alloy. The method requires significantly less operator input than the standard lift-out protocol, is site-specific and produces needles with minimal ion-beam damage; electron microscopy indicated the needle's surface amorphised/oxidised region to be less than 2 nm thick. The resulting needles were routinely analysable by APT, confirming the expected microstructure and showing negligible Xe contamination.
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