Abstract
Focused ion beams are an essential tool for cross‐sectional material analysis at the microscale, preparing TEM samples, and much more. New plasma ion sources allow for higher beam currents and options to use unconventional ion species, resulting in increased versatility over a broader range of substrate materials. In this paper, we present the results of a four‐material study from five different ion species at varying beam energies. This, of course, is a small sampling of the enormous variety of potential specimen and ion species combinations. We show that milling rates and texturing artifacts are quite varied. Therefore, there is a need for a systematic exploration of how different ion species mill different materials. There is so much to be done that it should be a community effort. Here, we present a publicly available automation script used to both measure sputter rates and characterize texturing artifacts as well as a collaborative database to which anyone may contribute. We also put forth some ideas for new applications of focused ion beams with novel ion species.
Highlights
Plasma focused ion beam (PFIB) tools have revolutionized the scale of microstructural information that can be obtained about any kind of material specimen at the nanoscale
We have shown that different ion species mill the same materials at rates that vary significantly and with widely varying texturing artifacts
We have suggested new applications for novel ion species including material hardening and using oxygen to create curtain-free cuts through organic materials
Summary
Plasma focused ion beam (PFIB) tools have revolutionized the scale of microstructural information that can be obtained about any kind of material specimen at the nanoscale. Compared to conventional liquid metal ion source (LMIS) Ga+ FIBs, Xe+ PFIB systems can operate at significantly higher beam currents, resulting in larger ion milling rates [1]. Only Xe+ ion sources have been commercially available for plasma FIBs. Xe+ is not necessarily the best ion species for milling all materials. Oxygen ion milling has been shown to reduce artifacts on biological tissue [2]. Novel ion beam sources have enabled new optical applications in materials like diamond [3]. As FIB systems with novel ion sources become commercially available, entirely unknown application spaces are opening
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