JEOL JSM-848A Scanning Electron Microscope

To check before operating:

1. Check LED v7 on vacuum control panel; should be ON.
2. Check Ion Pump Current; should be less than 250 micro amps.
3. Check current meter; should be lighted
4. Check High Voltage Setting; should be zero
5. Check Accel Voltage button; should be lighted
6. Set current/filament switch to filament, reading should be one unit, 25% of full scale.

To load a sample:

1. Check load-lock gate valve switch, should be down (Closed).
2. Check red load-lock pump button, should be unlighted (Pumped out).
3. Set X and Y micrometers to 80 mm.
4. Set Z to "EXCH" position with pushrod by gently pushing down on it and twisting clockwise to lock.
5. Set Tilt to zero (zero the dial, stage will look tilted in camera view).
6. Push load-lock vent button twice quickly to pump out load-lock.
   
   Note pressure on Convectron < 100mT
7. Set load-lock gate valve switch up (pull and lift) to open gate valve.
8. Examine stage through window,
   
   If a sample holder is present:
   1. turn transfer arm manipulator clamp knob to open it,
   2. insert rod to engage holder,
   3. turn knob closed.
   4. Withdraw transfer rod and sample.
   5. Use load-lock gate valve switch to close load-lock gate valve.
   If a sample holder is not present:
   Use load-lock gate valve switch to close load-lock gate valve.
9. Push load-lock pump button once, button lights and load-lock vents.
10. Unlatch and open load-lock, remove sample if present.
11. Place new sample holder in claw, tighten rod knob to grip sample holder
12. Close and latch load-lock door, push pump button, load-lock pumps and light goes out.
13. After LED v5 goes out, load-lock is evacuated.
14. Set load-lock gate valve switch up, load-lock opens to specimen chamber.
15. Push specimen exchange rod toward stage until sample holder engages.
16. Rotate rod knob to release sample holder.
17. Withdraw specimen exchange knob.
18. Set load-lock gate valve switch down to close valve.

To view specimen:

1. Set desired Voltage on kV rotary switch: start with 15 kV
   • Lower buttons increment, upper buttons decrement.
   • Dials are not linked, 9 rolls over to zero.
   • To reach 10, push two lower buttons simultaneously.
2. Set gun bias to Manual, value 2 initially
3. Raise filament current to 180 units, about 1.8 amps.
   
   Check emission, if less than 10 units (10 micro amps)
   1. Increase filament current 5 units (.05 amps)
   2. Re-check emission, seeking 20 units
   3. Repeat process, do not exceed 2.2 amps of filament current.
4. Set Display Mode to Norm.
5. Set Characters to white.
6. Set Mag to On.
7. Set display contrast and brightness to show characters.
8. Set Magnification to Mininum.
9. Set Probe Current Coarse to mid scale.
10. Set Scan mode to Pic.
11. Set Detector to SEI.
12. Set PMT link off.
13. Set Collector to On.
14. Set SEI contrast and brightness for mid-scale bar-graph reading.
15. Adjust coarse focus to find recognizable features.
16. Adjust Shift and Tilt for maximum current on PCD.
17. Saturate filament

• Insert the PCD
• Slowly raise filament current.
• Watch PCD current.
  • PCD current will rise at first, eventually it will fall
  • Set filament current to the value giving max PCD current.
  • DO NOT EXCEED 2.2amps.
  • This completes preliminary adjustments; sample inspection can begin.
  • Note working distance in lower right corner of display.
    • At exchange height, should be approx 39 mm
    • At working height, should be 3-12 mm.
    • Beginning operators should use 12 mm

Return to Idle State:

1. Turn down Accel kV to zero.
2. Turn filament to 1 amp.
3. Turn Detector off.
4. Set Mag to 300K
5. Set Probe current Coarse to mid-scale.
6. Turn down display contrast and brightness.
7. Set Z pushrod to EXCH position.
8. Set X and Y to 80
9. Set Tilt to zero.
10. Push load-lock vent button twice quickly to pump out load-lock.
    
    Note pressure on Convectron < 100mT
11. Open gate valve.
12. Insert jaws on sample and pull it out.
13. Open gate valve.
14. Push load-lock vent valve once to vent.
    
    If vent is incomplete, push twice quickly to repeat cycle.
15. Open load-lock, remove sample.
16. Close load-lock, press button to pump out.