• Applied Microscopy
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.147-150
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• 2012

A recently introduced helium ion microscopy (HIM) was employed to observe uncoated pine leaf specimens. Adult leaves were collected from the seedlings of Pinus densiflora and P. rigida, air-dried at room temperature, and observed by HIM without metal coating. Ovoid or round stomata and distinct Florin rings could be discerned. The epicuticular waxes were present in the epistomatal chambers and Florin rings of stomata on the leaf surface. The epicuticular waxes were mostly straight, cylindrical, and ca. 1 ${\mu}m$ in length. The epistomatal chambers of P. rigida were filled with the epicuticular waxes, whereas those of P. densiflora were not filled with the epicuticular waxes. Based on their micromorphology, the epicuticular wax structures of the pine species were identified as tubules. These results suggest that the HIM could be used for the investigation of the plant stomata and epicuticular waxes of uncoated plant leaves. Due to the smaller ion probe and interaction volume, the HIM has advantages over conventional field emission scanning electron microscopy in terms of image resolution and charge neutralization.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2013

The helium ion microscope (HIM) has recently emerged as a novel tool for imaging and analysis. Based on a bright ion source and small probe, the HIM offers advantages over the conventional field emission scanning electron microscope. The key features of the HIM include (1) high resolution (ca. 0.25 nm), (2) great surface sensitivity, (3) great contrast, (4) large depth-of-field, (5) efficient charge control, (6) reduced specimen damage, and (7) nanomachining capability. Due to the charge neutralization by flood electron beam, there is no need for conductive metal coating for the observation of insulating biological specimens by HIM. There is growing evidence that the HIM has substantial potential for high-resolution imaging of uncoated insulating biological specimens at the nanoscale.

• 한국전자현미경학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.66-67
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• 2000

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.10
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• pp.4115-4126
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• 2024

The swelling behavior of ferritic/martensitic steels (FC92-B/-N, HT9, and Gr.92) was investigated following 3.5 MeV Fe⁺⁺ ion irradiation. Tested alloys were helium-pre-implanted up to the peak contents of 120 and 240 appm with He/dpa ratio of 1 appm/dpa at room temperature and then exposed to self-ion beam to the peak damage conditions of 120 and 240 dpa at 475 ℃. Field-emission transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the cavity evolution. FC92-B exhibited the highest resistance to swelling among the irradiated alloys. The final volumetric swelling of FC92-B reached 1.3 % at 70 dpa and 2.9 % at 140 dpa. On the other hand, HT9 exhibited the highest swelling, reaching 7.4 % at 140 dpa. Comparing the present swelling results at 140 dpa/140 appm He with swelling data at 280 dpa/280 appm He from our previous study, it was observed that Gr.92 and FC92-N swelled more at 140 dpa/140 appm He than at 280 dpa/280 appm He. This negative correlation between swelling and dose in Gr.92 and FC92-N is primarily attributed to the helium-associated swelling suppression at higher helium concentration of 280 appm. A bimodal cavity size distribution appeared only in Gr.92 and FC92-N at 280 dpa/280 appm. This result demonstrates that the excess amount of helium over 200 appm promoted early-stabilization of new-born cavities, resulting in preferentially enhanced cavity nucleation, while impeding the growth of nucleated cavities. An inhibition in cavity growth possibly led to an extended duration of nucleation-dominant stages, finally suppressing swelling in ion-irradiated Gr.92 and FC92-N alloys.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.109-118
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• 2021

In the periodic surveillance material test for the spacer component of fuel channel assembly in CANDU, a microstructural characterization analysis is required in addition to the mechanical property evaluation test. In this study, detailed microstructure analysis and simple mechanical property evaluation of archive spacer parts were conducted to indirectly support the surveillance test and assist in the study of spacer material degradation. We investigated the microstructural characteristics of the spacer garter spring coil through comparative analysis with the plate material. The main microstructure characteristics of the garter spring coil X-750 are represented by the fine grain size distribution, the ordering phase distribution developed inside the matrix, the high dislocation density inside the grains, and the arrangement of coarse carbides. In addition, the yield strength of the garter spring coil X-750 was indirectly evaluated to be approximately 1 GPa. We also established an analytical method to elucidate the microstructural evolution of the radioactive spacer garter spring coil X-750 based on Canadian research experiences. Finally, we confirmed the measurement technique for helium bubble formation through TEM examination on the helium implanted X-750 material.

• Clean Technology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.300-305
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• 2011

A mixture of supercritical carbon dioxide and a co-solvent was employed to strip a high-dose ion-implanted photoresist (HDIPR) from the surface of semiconductor wafers. The stripping efficiency was highly improved by the physical force generated from a ultrasonication tip inside the reactor. In addition, helium gas was injected in the reactor as a barrier gas before the introduction of pure supercritical $CO_2$ ($scCO_2$), which reduced the rinsing time significantly. The effect of co-solvents on the stripping efficiency was investigated. The wafer surfaces were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and by an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.12
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• pp.2860-2866
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• 2020

Oxide dispersion-strengthened materials W-1wt%Pr₂O₃ and W-1wt%La₂O₃ were synthesized by wet chemical method and spark plasma sintering. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis, XRD and Vickers microhardness measurements were conducted to characterize the samples. The irradiations were carried out with a 5 keV helium ion beam to fluences up to 5.0 × 10²¹ ions/m² under 600 ℃ using the low-energy ion irradiation system. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study was performed to investigate the microstructural evolution in W-1wt%Pr₂O₃ and W-1wt%La₂O₃. At 1.0 × 10²⁰ He⁺/m², the average loops size of the W-1wt%Pr₂O₃ was 4.3 nm, much lower than W-1wt% La₂O₃ of 8.5 nm. However, helium bubbles were not observed throughout in both doped W materials. The effects of pre-irradiation with 1.0 × 10²¹ He⁺/m² on trapping of injected deuterium in doped W was studied by thermal desorption spectrometry (TDS) technique using quadrupole mass spectrometer. Compared with the samples without He⁺ pre-irradiation, deuterium (D) retention of doped W materials increased after He⁺ irradiation, whose retention was unsaturated at the damage level of 1.0 × 10²²D₂⁺/m². The present results implied that irradiation effect of He⁺ ions must be taken into account to evaluate the deuterium retention in fusion material applications.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.2589-2594
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• 2009

Aging phenomena of plasma polymer films were studied by using the surface analysis techniques of contact angle measurement, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOFSIMS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The polymer films were grown on an aluminum substrate by using a plasma polymerization method from a gas mixture of acetylene and helium, and the films were subsequently modified to have a hydrophilic surface by oxygen plasma treatment. Aging of the polymer films was examined by exposing the samples to water and air environments. The aging process increased the hydrophobicity of the surface, as revealed by an increase in the advancing contact angle of water. XPS analysis showed that the population of oxygen-containing polar groups increased due to the uptake of oxygen during the aging, whereas TOF-SIMS analysis revealed a decrease in the polar group population in the uppermost surface layer. The results suggest that the change in surface property from hydrophilic to hydrophobic nature results from the restructuring of polymer chains near the surface, rather than compositional change of the surface. Oxidative degradation may enhance the mobility and the restructuring process of polymer chains.