Cleaving of MgO inside an Electron Microscope

Abstract
A method for preparing clean surfaces of the (100), (111), and (110) orientations of MgO directly at the specimen chamber of an electron microscope and thin enough for transmission electron microscopy is described. The cleaving is accomplished by thermal shock due to a flash electron bombardment. The cleaved crystals are suitable as substrates for in situ observation of surface reactions like epitaxial growth. The cleavage mechanism is also discussed.