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Mica For Research Microscopy

MICA DISCS, SLIDES & BLOCKS

We are the largest stockists of V-1/V-2 Mica in North America!

AXIM is a manufacturer and supplier of 100% scratch-free, ASTM D-351-97 laboratory muscovite (ruby) Mica of V-1 quality. These mica discs, slides and strips peel easily to an ultra-thin thickness up to .0001” and fit microscope slides.

Freshly cleaved muscovite mica surfaces have an outstanding even surface, are optically flat, clear, transparent, scratchless and free from fingerprints. There are very useful for electron microscopy for production of carbon support films, particle imaging, cell growing and thin film coating research. Muscovite mica surface are also suitable as substrates for high resolution atomic force microcopy studies such as DNA, DNA-protein and thin films.

Cleaving mica involves insertion of a sharp edge or point into an edge or corner of the sheet and gently prying apart the leaves. A good sharp razor blade edge will do the job and in some cases a sharp pointed tweezer may accomplish this.. The freshly exposed micro surface should be used immediately after cleaving to take advantage of the clean and even surface. The muscovite mica is die cut to the sizes offered.

Cleaving can also be achieved by placing a double coated piece of tape onto the mica surface and gently pulling off the mica layer starting on one edge of the mica. Then place mica with tape side down on to a specimen disc or mount.

Ruby muscovite color ranges from almost white through pink to a light ruby and into shades of brownish ruby and brown. It is considered of higher quality (compared to green muscovite) because of hardness and excellent cleavage properties permitting it to be split into the thinnest desired film without the risk of cracking. It is optically flat, resilient and incompressible.

While it splits into thin films along its cleavage planes, yet it remains tough and elastic, even at high temperature. Our mica has minimum inclusions, minimum air and bubbles and is clean. ASTM D-351 describes grading standards for mica.

Gold Mica

Au(111) is sputtered onto freshly cleaved Mica substrates. Flame annealing is suggested before use.

Atomically flat terraces are typically several hundreds of nanometers cross, with this size increasing after hydrogen flame annealing. Gold plated Mica is available in thicknesses ranging from 50Å to 2500Å. AXIM can also provide custom thicknesses based upon the client’s requirements.

New: GOLD Sputtered Mica.
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