In-situ TEM straining experiments of Al films on polyimide using a novel FIB design for specimen preparation

In-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) straining experiments are tedious to perform but give invaluable insight into the deformation processes of materials. With the current interest in mechanical sizeeffects of nanocrystalline materials and thin metallic films, in-situ tensile testing in the TEM is the key method for identifying underlying deformation mechanisms. In-situ TEM experiments can be significantly simplified using well-designed specimens. The advantages of a novel focussed ion beam design and first in-situ straining results of 500-nm thick single-crystalline Al films on polyimide are reported and compared to conventionally prepared Al films on polyimide.