Styrene

Styrene remodelling has been used to pattern a range of materials and is particularly useful for those of us working on materials that are susceptible to corrosion or are sensitive to the higher temperatures used in the water vapour remodelling ...

Description of the remodelling technique

This alternative remodelling method was developed using styrene as an alternative to water vapour. This method requires the remodelling chamber to be isolated to remove oxygen from the process. Once the gold layer is deposited onto the polished sample surfaces, the samples are placed a specially designed chamber. The remodelling process begins by initially flowing argon gas through a styrene reservoir, in turn creating a mixture of argon and styrene vapour. A hot plate, which has a flat surface to provide a homogeneous temperature distribution across the sample, is positioned in the centre of the remodelling chamber. Its temperature can be monitored and adjusted using an external control unit. The Ar-Styrene flow is passed directly over the sample surface and subsequently remodels the gold layer into fine speckles. The vapour flow is then extracted from the system via a flow valve at the top of the remodelling chamber.

Current Remodelling Parameters that have proved successful on Zirconium alloys

• 3 minutes sputter coating at 40mA using Edwards sputter coater
• 2-4 days remodelling at 175C
• Speckle size produce can be used at Horizontal Field Widths of 10-20um at a resolution of 2048 x 1768 pixels.

Current Remodelling Parameters that have proved successful on Magnesium alloys

• 2 minutes sputter coating at 40mA using Edwards sputter coater
• 2 weeks remodelling at 150C
• Speckle size produce can be used at Horizontal Field Widths of 15um at a resolution of 2048 x 1768 pixels.