Motivation The laboratory of the application-oriented characterization of materials will be carried out at the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS, Dresden. The laboratory will teach students a different approach to materials characterization. Nanoscale properties of materials control the macroscopic performance and reliability of different components, functions and processes. Novel and complex materials (systems) are therefore a key for innovations in micro-, nano- and optoelectronics, energy, environmental and medical (technology). Having the right knowledge about the relevant structure-property relationships can accelerate the development of new products, specifically improve components' reliability and increase technological processes' efficiency. This requires a deep understanding of materials and their time-resolved interactions from the atomic to the real size length-scale. The laboratory located at IKTS offers a unique infrastructure of high-resolution electron, ion and X-ray microscopy to provide competent consulting, contract analysis and methodological developments to partners in industry and research. A special focus is on the combination and correlation of different methods as well as the customized development of unique testing technology. As such, students will learn fast, reliable, and reproducible materials characterization which can support different industries. Objectives The aim of the course is to learn and understand complementary characterization techniques based on e-beam and X-ray sources. Students will predominantly learn in-situ analysis of different samples with a focus on nanometre length-scale characterization. Students will become familiar with different sample preparation methods, data collection and their interpretation. They should understand, for example, the failure mechanism of different materials in different applications, be able to characterize different deterioration modes of materials, and be able to interpret the complex complementary results. The practical course will cover the following topics. 1. Imaging real-life components by scanning-electron microscopy (SEM) - Sample preparation outside SEM and for analysis in other microscopes (inside SEM), different sample preparation between Ga-FIB and Plasma-FIB (FIB - focused-ion beam), - Sample characterization and how to interpret collected data, - In-situ testing tools - why do we use in-situ testing and what types of "small" testing can be done inside SEM? This will involve nanoindentation testing, and imaging samples in-situ under tensile and bending deformation. 2. Imaging components by transmission-electron microscopy (TEM) - Practising different imaging modes on samples prepared early in the aforementioned stage 1, - Interpretation of collected data, their analysis and comparison with SEM, - Students will also learn in-situ testing modes available such as in-situ heating, indentation, imaging samples under tensile load, and electrical testing of materials. 3. X-ray tomography, ?XCT and nXCT - Description of the main parts of an X-Ray-Microscope, - Different imaging modes, - Analysis of samples prepared earlier in SEM, - Sample characterization: how to interpret and analyse the 2-D pictures obtained?, - Topographies: performing 3-D experiments, segmentation and interpretation of data, - In-situ testing tools: why do we use in-situ testing tools? Which small experiments can we do inside the microscope? Difference in experimental design in X-ray microscopy compared to electron microscopy. Figures and the acquired skills and knowledge are further specified in the website link.
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