SPI Supplies

Surface Finish Descriptions used by SPI Supplies

Be sure you understand the definitions used by SPI Supplies


Through out the SPI Supplies website, there are various names and descriptions to definite different types of solid surfaces. Defining a surface, and its physical characteristics is almost always important in microscopy and microscopy-related products and supplies.

When surfaces are being polished, it is almost always difficult to describe the results of that polishing in ways that have meaning to the researcher. For example, the term "mirror" polish is frequently used to describe the results of metallographic preparation. The term, scientifically, is actually meaningless, but it does convey the idea that the properly prepared surface is very reflective, with little distortion in the reflected image.

"Epi-polish" is an attempt to convey another concept. We are trying to say that the surface is suitable for obtaining epitaxial film growth if all other circumstances are correct. It may not be an accepted technical term, but it does convey the idea. The process involves the use of very fine abrasive materials for the final polishing steps, abrasives much finer than the 1 µm diamond used to polish our graphite planchettes, or the 1 µm alumina used to polish our polished SEM specimen mounts.


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Tuesday February 09, 2010
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