Basic design of the field ion microscope

Torres electrical seal Sf contact for Sapphire tip anneal 

It is often desirable to have a separate chamber with a vacuum lock for the purpose of tip exchange and tip manipulation without the need of exposing the FIM chamber to atmosphere. There are many different designs used by different investigators. One employed in the author s laboratory, designed by G. L. Xiao, is shown in Fig. 3.4(c). A tip is mounted on a cone-shaped sapphire piece with a cross-shaped stainless steel thin rod attached at the back end. The tip mounting sapphire piece 

Rotate the socket assembly until an empty socket is lined up with the transfer rod axis. 

Insert the old tip-mount-sapphire piece into the empty socket and withdraw the transfer rod. 

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