Stain on Electrode

Technique Used:  AUGER

Stains that sometimes appear on parts are often very thin films (< 100 angstroms) which require a surface analysis tool such as Auger electron spectroscopy. The following example is a stain that was found on a titanium electrode by a medical device manufacturer. The manufacturer suspected that the stain was from the hard water used in the rinse cycle. Auger maps of several different species were obtained from one of the stained areas on the electrode (see figure below). The maps show high levels of calcium, chlorine and potassium in the stain; all of which may be found in hard water. Note that the brighter the pixel, the higher the concentration of the specie that is being mapped.