EQUIPOS DE PREPARACIÓN DE MUESTRAS: Glow
Discharge 
FEDELCO,
S.L.
GLOW DISCHARGE:
The
K100X Glow Discharge system in the DC+ Mode, can draw up 1.5Kv. allowing
ion etching of the specimen surface to remove oxide or resist layers.
Polarity of can be changed for Carbon Film Surface Treatment or Surface
Etching of Metallic Specimens.
Hydrophilisation
: Freshly made Carbon support films tend to have a hydrophobic
surface which inhibits the spreading of suspensions of particles in
Negative staining solutions. However,
after Glow Discharge treatment with air, the Carbon Film is made
Hydrophilic and Negatively charged, thus allowing easy spreading of
aqueous suspensions. With subsequent Magnesium Acetate treatment the
surface is made Hydrophilic and Positively charged.
In addition to Glow Discharge treatment using air, other process gases
may be used to modify surface properties.
For example, if Alkylamine is used as a process gas, the Carbon
Film surface will become Hydrophobic and Positively charged.
On the other hand, using Methanol as a process gas results in the
surface becoming Hydrophobic and Negatively charged.
Such treatments can facilitate the optional absorption of selected
biomolecules.
Surface Cleaning
: In many instances, surfaces need to be completely cleared of
contamination films or deposits. This
applies particularly to EM components where such deposits impair the
maintenance of a clean vacuum system. A Glow Discharge treatment can be
used to clean such components of undesirable residues.
D.C. Glow Discharge
: The default for Glow Discharge treatment
is DC- mode.
In the DC+ Mode, the Glow Discharge
system can draw up 1.0Kv. This allows high efficiency ion etching of the
specimen surface to remove, for example, oxide or resist layers.
