PhD Thesis_RuiMSMartins.pdf - RUN UNL

In-situ XRD studies during growth of Ni-Ti SMA films and their complementary ex-situ characterization
The disc is polished from 500 µm up to 300 µm using a sand paper of 15 µm. The disc is then
glued on the other side and it is polished again with the 15 µm sand paper but this time until it
reaches a thickness of 180 µm. With a 10 µm sand paper the disc is thinned up to 130 µm.
The final step to reach a thickness of 120 µm is performed with a 3 µm sand paper.
The disc of 3 mm diameter and a thickness of 120 µm is glued on a glass support in order to
be subjected to a delicate polishing in the machine of Fig. C.14.
Fig. C.14: Polishing machine (Minimet 1000) - allows random movements for final polishing.
This machine performs random movements, which avoids preferential scratches on the
sample (disc). Al 2 O 3 of 5, 1 and 0.3 µm diameter are used (6 min/speed 10).
The following step is dimple-grinding in order to polish a calotte in the centre. For that the
disc is glued on a polymeric cylinder. The better-polished face is glued directly on the
cylinder. A Dimple Grinder gatan 656 is used for this operation (Fig. C.15).
Appendix 234