|
 |
|
|
|
Focussed Ion Beam (FIB)
|
The Focused Ion Beam (FIB) tool can cut away (mill) material from a defined area with dimensions typically in square microns or deposit material onto it. Milling is achieved by accelerating concentrated gallium ions to a specific site, which etches off any exposed material, leaving a very clean hole or surface.
By introducing gases or an organic gas compound, the FIB can selectively etch one material much faster than surrounding materials, or deposit a metal or oxide.
The FIB is used for such tasks as site-specific cross-sectioning for interfacial microstructure studies, preferential removal of certain metals or oxides, semiconductor device editing or modifications, site-specific TEM sample preparation, and grain imaging.
IBM Almaden's Materials Characterization and Analysis Lab uses an FEI 830 XL Dual Beam system that integrates the FIB with a ultra-high-resolution SEM, which allows the analyst to capture an image of a specific site (a "snapshot" of its condition) while performing a milling or deposition procedure on it.
This lab supports research in thin-film studies, dielectric materials, defect analysis and nanotechnology.
|
|
|
|
|
|
