{"id":4952,"date":"2026-08-02T10:57:27","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T01:57:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/?page_id=4952"},"modified":"2026-08-04T10:04:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T01:04:55","slug":"%e3%82%aa%e3%82%b9%e3%83%9f%e3%82%a6%e3%83%a0%e3%82%b3%e3%83%bc%e3%82%bf%e3%80%80neoc-pro","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/en\/%e3%82%aa%e3%82%b9%e3%83%9f%e3%82%a6%e3%83%a0%e3%82%b3%e3%83%bc%e3%82%bf%e3%80%80neoc-pro\/","title":{"rendered":"Osmium coater NEOC-PRO"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-group ai-translation-notice\" style=\"margin-bottom:1.5rem;padding:1rem 1.25rem;border:2px solid #b42318;background-color:#fff4f2\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>*Note: This page was translated by AI from the Japanese original. In case of any discrepancy, the Japanese version shall prevail.*<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1051 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/DSC_2387-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"Osmium coater NEOC-PRO appearance 1\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/DSC_2387-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/DSC_2387-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/DSC_2387-1024x576.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1052 size-medium aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/DSC_2388-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"Osmium coater NEOC-PRO appearance 2\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/DSC_2388-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/DSC_2388-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/DSC_2388-1024x576.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Overview<\/h2>\n<p>The Meiwafosis NEOC-PRO (Neo Osmium Coater) deposits a thin film of metallic osmium (Os) on sample surfaces by vapor-phase deposition. It is used for charge-up countermeasures and conductive pre-treatment before electron microscopy observation. Compared to sputter coaters, it causes less damage to samples and enables shorter processing times.<\/p>\n<h2>Features<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Uniform deposition of metallic osmium (Os) thin film (film thickness controllable via discharge current \u00d7 discharge time)<\/li>\n<li>Lower damage and shorter processing time compared to sputter coaters (well-suited for charge-up countermeasures)<\/li>\n<li>Multiple samples can be processed simultaneously (load multiple samples into the chamber at once)<\/li>\n<li>Effective pre-treatment for non-conductive samples such as biological specimens, polymers, and ceramics before SEM\/TEM observation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Specifications<\/h2>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Manufacturer<\/th>\n<td>Meiwafosis Co., Ltd.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Model<\/th>\n<td>NEOC-PRO<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Chamber dimensions<\/th>\n<td>\u03a6150 \u00d7 70 cm\u00b3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Osmium ampule<\/th>\n<td>Wako Pure Chemical Industries (500 mg)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Location<\/th>\n<td>1-111<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Recommended Coating Conditions<\/h2>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th>Discharge current<\/th>\n<td>5 mA (manufacturer recommended)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Vacuum level during coating<\/th>\n<td>10 Pa (optimal for 5 mA discharge)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Ultimate vacuum (pre-coating)<\/th>\n<td>\u22642 Pa (\u22641 Pa for porous or thin-film samples)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th>Os gas introduction time<\/th>\n<td>Hold sublimation tube at OPEN for 90 seconds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The amount of osmium deposited is proportional to <strong>discharge current (mA) \u00d7 discharge time (seconds)<\/strong>. At 5 mA with a discharge time of 0\u201325 seconds, a film thickness of approximately 0\u20136 nm can be obtained (based on the film thickness\/deposition time data in the manual).<\/p>\n<h2>Basic Operating Procedure<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Place the sample on the cathode (lower electrode). Always place an insulating material such as a Teflon sheet (\u22647 cm square) under the sample or sample stage.<\/li>\n<li>Press the MAIN switch to start the unit and vacuum pump, then evacuate the chamber to \u22642 Pa.<\/li>\n<li>Rotate the sublimation tube 180\u00b0 counterclockwise to the OPEN position and allow Os gas to fill the chamber (hold for 90 seconds).<\/li>\n<li>Adjust the needle valve to set the vacuum level for coating (target: 10 Pa for 5 mA discharge).<\/li>\n<li>Set the discharge time using the timer, then press the COAT switch to start discharge and deposition (a blue-violet plasma is visible during discharge).<\/li>\n<li>After discharge ends, promptly rotate the sublimation tube 180\u00b0 clockwise to return it to the CLOSE position.<\/li>\n<li>Returning the tube to CLOSE triggers the automatic exhaust sequence (alternating 20-second air introduction and 20-second evacuation, repeated 3 times).<\/li>\n<li>After the automatic exhaust sequence ends, turn off the power with the MAIN switch, then open the chamber and remove the coated sample.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>Important Notes<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Use of insulating material:<\/strong> Always place an insulating material such as a Teflon sheet (\u22647 cm square) under the sample. Without it, stable discharge is not possible. Samples with sharp edges or those that are electrically conductive may spark if placed directly on the cathode.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Close the sublimation tube promptly:<\/strong> Return the sublimation tube to CLOSE immediately after discharge ends. Leaving it OPEN increases running costs due to continued Os gas consumption.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Exhaust handling:<\/strong> Osmium is a hazardous substance. Always route the vacuum pump exhaust hose to a fume hood or to the outside through a window.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ampule type:<\/strong> Only <strong>Wako Pure Chemical Industries osmium ampules (500 mg)<\/strong> are compatible. Other manufacturers&#8217; products may not fit the sublimation tube.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Low-temperature environments:<\/strong> In cold weather or cool rooms, the ampule may not sublimate sufficiently. Warm the sublimation tube by hand before use.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Unstable discharge:<\/strong> After cleaning, residual cleaning agents may cause unstable discharge. Perform 2\u20133 test discharges (5 mA, 10 seconds each) with a blank chamber before coating actual samples.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Manual<\/h2>\n<p>Manual: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/osmium_coat_manual.pdf\" class=\"mtli_attachment mtli_pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Osmium Coater Manual (PDF, campus access only)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>This page was created by an AI agent.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>*Note: This page was translated by AI from the Japanese original. In case of any discrepancy, the Japanese version shall prevail.* Overview The Meiwafosis NEOC-PRO (Neo Osmium Coater) deposits a thin film of metallic osmium (Os) on sample surfaces by vapor-phase deposition. It is used for charge-up countermeasures and conductive pre-treatment before electron microscopy observation. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/en\/%e3%82%aa%e3%82%b9%e3%83%9f%e3%82%a6%e3%83%a0%e3%82%b3%e3%83%bc%e3%82%bf%e3%80%80neoc-pro\/\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Osmium coater NEOC-PRO<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/?page_id=1053","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4952","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","en-US"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4952","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4952"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4952\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5177,"href":"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4952\/revisions\/5177"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aem.imr.tohoku.ac.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4952"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}