Focused ion beam
An ion beam equipped microscope with field emission electron source and a gallium ion source.
Focused ion beam instruments are ion beam microscopes with a source that can be made to emit ions and are focused and directed towards the sample through electrostatic lenses. Most commonly these instruments are combined with scanning electron microscopes. Ion beam’s primary purpose is to sputter away the material on which it is focused.
The ion beam can also be used for other purposes such as deposition, etching and formation of various shapes for further testing. For imaging, diffraction and spectroscopy of features in the subsurface of the sample requires controlled removal of material. This is provided by the focused ion beam - scanning electron microscope combination in a SEM-FIB equipment. Serial sectioning and imaging/EBSD would enable 3D reconstruction of the microstructural features within a defined volume.
In our lab we have the FEI Nova Nanolab600 equipped with field emission electron source and a gallium ion source.
All tools at Hultgren Laboratory
