Application of FIB system to ultra-high-pressure Earth science

The conventional focused ion beam (FIB) sample preparation technique “lift-out method” was modified for the reliable analysis of a laser-heated diamond anvil cell (LHDAC) sample. Box-shaped grooves were prepared in the LHDAC specimen in order to recover a block using a gallium ion beam in the vicinity of the area to be characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM). The recovered block was fixed on the stage of a copper (or molybdenum) grid and thinned by the gallium ion beam in order to obtain a TEM foil. Our modified lift-out method allows us to thin the entire vertical section (from the upper anvil surface to the lower anvil surface) of the LHDAC sample.