Use of a micromanipulator at high temperature in an environmental scanning electron microscope to apply force during the sintering of copper particles

This paper reports on the development of a one-dimensional high temperature micromanipulation system to allow the influence of an applied force on the sintering process to be observed in situ in an environmental scanning electron microscope. Sintering of arrays of spherical copper powder particles has been observed at temperatures up to 900 °C in nitrogen at 2.0 Torr (266 Pa), with and without applied force.