A simple method of chromium coating using a ferrotype plate for scanning electron microscopy

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Microscopy Techniques

Background:

• Traditional chromium coating methods may require cooling.
• Observing fine cellular ultrastructures necessitates high-resolution imaging techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple and effective chromium coating method for electron microscopy specimens.
• To assess the suitability of the developed coating for high-resolution ultrastructure imaging.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a planar magnetron ion-sputter coater with a chromium ferrotype plate as the target.
• Applied chromium coating to dried specimens at room temperature without active cooling.

Main Results:

• Achieved a high-quality chromium film deposition at room temperature.
• The resulting chromium film exhibited a small grain size (1-2 nm), ideal for ultrastructure visualization.
• Observed limitations in secondary electron emission for routine high-magnification (x 100,000) imaging.

Conclusions:

• The developed ion-sputter coating method provides a simple, effective way to produce high-quality chromium films for microscopy.
• The fine grain size of the coating is advantageous for observing delicate ultrastructures like mitochondrial particles.
• The method's limitations in secondary electron emission should be considered for specific high-magnification applications.