Ionenätzen : Stand und Perspektiven für die Gefügekontrastierung keramischer und metallischer Werkstoffe. Teil III: Ionenätzen in der Metallographie

Ion etching has proven itself particularly useful as a method of preparation used for the investigation of special materials. By ion bombardment, the surfaces of materials can be etched or removed in a characteristic way. lon beam etching of specimens in the electron microscopy is used, in particular where conventional chemical or electrochemical thinning techniques fail, such as in examination of microstructures in metallography and ceramography. In these fields, however, only relatively few of the methods for ion etching have been standardised. The purpose of this series of articles is therefore to demonstrate the possibilities, advantages and disadvantages of this type of etching technique for metallographical preparation. In the series of articles, the practical use of the different ion etching techniques is described, together with the theory of ion etching and the effect that the various parameters have on the sputtering rate.