Compared to Ga+ liquid metal ion source (LMIS) DualBeam FIB-SEMs, Xe+ inductively couple plasma
(ICP) DualBeams are relatively new, but have already demonstrated improved capabilities for crosssection
preparation with cut face areas significantly larger than with LMIS Ga+ FIBs [1]. Until
recently, only Ga+ and Xe+ source technologies were commercially available. However, recent
advances in plasma FIB technology now allow for multiple ion species (xenon, argon, oxygen and
nitrogen) to be delivered from one source in a single DualBeam system via electronic switching [2].
This technology allows researchers to tailor the primary ion species to the application.
While plasma FIBs have enabled researchers to access much larger volumes for serial sectioning
tomography (SST), there has remained a gap in multiscale characterization from the mesoscale to the
microscale. Femtosecond laser technology has reach a maturity where this gap can now be closed.
When compared to FIBs, femtosecond laser technology expands the accessible cross-sectional area or
volume space by as much as 6X when compared to plasma FIB technology and as much as 30X when
comparing traditional LMIS Ga+ FIB technology [3]. LMIS Ga+ FIB technology offers a ion beam that
provides capability of FIB serial sectioning tomography (SST) of volumes up to 40X40X40 μm3/hr
(silicon using 30 kV-65 nA), while Xe+ PFIB technology has a much larger beam current capability
allowing researchers to investigate volumes up to 130X130X130 μm3/hr (silicon using 30 kV-2.5 μA).
[4,5]. Femtosecond laser (fs-laser) has the capability to generate cross-section areas in excess of 1 X 1
mm2.
Materials processed by fs-laser nearly universally demonstrate superior laser cut quality over thermally
ablated surfaces with quality often good enough to perform high resolution backscatter imaging and
even EBSD analysis with no additional surface processing. Considering the increasing trends towards
large volume analysis (LVA), there exists an opportunity for fs-laser technology. The combination of
LVA needs and the athermal nature of fs-laser machining drove the creation of a DualBeam with an
integrated fs-laser system comprising a SEM/PFIB/fs-laser [6]. Here we present the latest advances in
multi-ion source plasma FIB and fs-laser technology with an emphasis on application use cases.
References:
[1] P. Tesch et al, Proceedings from the 34th International Symposium for Testing and Failure Analysis
(2008) p 6.
[2] B.Van Leer et al, Microscopy and Microanalysis, 25(S2), (2019) p. 570-571
[3] S. Randolph et al, Microscopy and Microanalysis, 25(S2), (2019) p. 352-353
[4] C.A. Volkert et al, , MRS Bulletin 32 (2007), p.389.
[5] J. Mayer et al, MRS Bulletin 32 (2007), p. 400.
[6] S. Randolph et al, Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B 36, 06JB01 (2018)