An ultrahigh vacuum compatible sample holder for studying complex metal surfaces

Abstract

We present a design of a compact and versatile sample holder meant for studying complex (ternary) metallic crystals that require sputtering and annealing to high temperatures under ultrahigh vacuum (10⁻¹⁰ mbar range) for obtaining the clean, ordered and stoichiometric surface. A resistive heater is fixed to the sample holder and not to the sample plate, and thus can be thoroughly degassed initially to high temperatures without heating the sample. The heater, which is mounted vertically on the sample holder frame, slides into the sample plate of rectangular cross-section during sample transfer. For efficient cooling that is required for adlayer deposition, Cu braids can be pressed on the sample plate from both sides through a screw mechanism. The sample holder has 5 degrees of freedom including a tilt rotation. The sample holder has been used to study different metal surfaces such as ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, alkali metal and Mn adlayers on Al-Pd-Mn quasicrystal, aluminum metal, and Al-Mn alloys. Here, our recent results on temperature dependent low energy electron diffraction study of Ni₂MnGa(100) are presented.