scholarly journals Effective Use of Focused Ion Beam (FIB) in Investigating Fundamental Mechanical Properties of Metals at the Sub-Micron Scale

2006 ◽  
Vol 983 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia R Greer

AbstractRecent advances in the 2-beam focused ion beams technology has enabled researchers to not only perform high-precision nanolithography and micro-machining, but also to apply these novel fabrication techniques to investigating a broad range of materials' properties at the sub-micron and nano-scales. In our work, the FIB is utilized in manufacturing of sub-micron cylinders, or nano-pillars, as well as of TEM cross-sections to directly investigate plasticity of metals at these small length scales. Gold nano-pillars, ranging in diameter between 200 nm and several micrometers were fabricated from bulk gold and epitaxial gold films on MgO substrates and subsequently compressed using a Nanoindenter fitted with a custom-fabricated diamond flat punch. We show convincingly that fundamental mechanical properties like flow stress, yield strength, and stiffness strongly depend on the sample size, as some of our smaller specimens were found to plastically deform in uniaxial compression at stresses as high as 800 MPa, a value ~50 times higher than for bulk gold.We believe that these high strengths are hardened by dislocation starvation. In this mechanism, once the sample is small enough, the mobile dislocations have a higher probability of annihilating at a nearby free surface than of multiplying and being pinned by other dislocations. Therefore, plasticity is accommodated by the nucleation and motion of new dislocations rather than by interactions of existing dislocations, as is the case for bulk crystals. To validate this mechanism, direct observation of dislocations was accomplished by utilizing the Omniprobe micromanipulator, coupled with FIB-milling and Pt deposition, for fabrication of site-specific TEM specimens. Preliminary TEM images show the lack of mobile dislocations in deformed pillars, which agrees with the proposed dislocation starvation mechanism, as discussed.

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 844-852 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.J. Cordill ◽  
N.R. Moody ◽  
S.V. Prasad ◽  
J.R. Michael ◽  
W.W. Gerberich

In ductile metals, sliding contact induces plastic deformation resulting in subsurfaces, the mechanical properties of which are different from those of the bulk. This article describes a novel combination of nanomechanical test methods and analysis techniques to evaluate the mechanical behavior of the subsurfaces generated underneath a wear surface. In this methodology, nanoscratch techniques were first used to generate wear patterns as a function of load and number of cycles using a Hysitron TriboIndenter. Measurements were made on a (001) single crystal plane along two crystallographic directions, <001> and <011>. Nanoindentation was then used to measure mechanical properties in each wear pattern. The results on the (001) single crystal nickel plane showed that there was a strong increase in hardness with increasing applied load that was accompanied by a change in surface deformation. The amount of deformation underneath the wear patterns was examined from focused ion beam cross-sections of the wear patterns.


2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 1826-1834
Author(s):  
Enne Faber ◽  
Willem P. Vellinga ◽  
Jeff T.M. De Hosson

AbstractThis paper investigates the adhesive interface in a polymer/metal (polyethylene terephthalate/steel) laminate that is subjected to uniaxial strain. Cross-sections perpendicular to such interfaces were created with a focused ion beam and imaged with scanning electron microscopy during straining in the electron microscope. During in situ straining, glide steps formed by the steel caused traction at the interface and initiated crazes in the polyethylene terephthalate (PET). These crazes readily propagated along the free surface of the PET layer. Similar crazing has not been previously encountered in laminates that were pre-strained or in numerical calculations. The impact of focused ion beam treatments on mechanical properties of the polymer/metal laminate system was therefore investigated. It was found that mechanical properties such as toughness of PET are dramatically influenced by focused ion beam etching. It was also found that this change in mechanical properties has a different effect on the pre-strained and in situ strained samples.


2016 ◽  
Vol 258 ◽  
pp. 416-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiří Buršík ◽  
Ivo Kuběna ◽  
Vilma Buršíková ◽  
Pavel Souček ◽  
Lukáš Zábranský ◽  
...  

Several W-B-C layers were prepared by magnetron sputtering. The microstructure of thin layers was observed by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopy on cross sections prepared using a focused ion beam. Both undisturbed layers and the volume under indentation prints were inspected. The W-B-C layers are fine nanostructured materials about 2 μm thick and indents with loads up to 1 N do not cause any visible defects (cracks, delamination etc). The results were correlated with mechanical properties characterized by means of nanoindentation experiments in both the static and the dynamic loading regime using a Berkovich indenter. Elastic modulus, indentation hardness and fracture resistance of prepared nanostructured coatings were evaluated and discussed.


2002 ◽  
Vol 719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myoung-Woon Moon ◽  
Kyang-Ryel Lee ◽  
Jin-Won Chung ◽  
Kyu Hwan Oh

AbstractThe role of imperfections on the initiation and propagation of interface delaminations in compressed thin films has been analyzed using experiments with diamond-like carbon (DLC) films deposited onto glass substrates. The surface topologies and interface separations have been characterized by using the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and the Focused Ion Beam (FIB) imaging system. The lengths and amplitudes of numerous imperfections have been measured by AFM and the interface separations characterized on cross sections made with the FIB. Chemical analysis of several sites, performed using Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES), has revealed the origin of the imperfections. The incidence of buckles has been correlated with the imperfection length.


Author(s):  
Becky Holdford

Abstract On mechanically polished cross-sections, getting a surface adequate for high-resolution imaging is sometimes beyond the analyst’s ability, due to material smearing, chipping, polishing media chemical attack, etc.. A method has been developed to enable the focused ion beam (FIB) to re-face the section block and achieve a surface that can be imaged at high resolution in the scanning electron microscope (SEM).


Author(s):  
Srikanth Perungulam ◽  
Scott Wills ◽  
Greg Mekras

Abstract This paper illustrates a yield enhancement effort on a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) where random columns in the Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) were found to be failing. In this SRAM circuit, sense amps are designed with a two-stage separation and latch sequence. In the failing devices the bit line and bit_bar line were not separated far enough in voltage before latching got triggered. The design team determined that the sense amp was being turned on too quickly. The final conclusion was that a marginal sense amp design, combined with process deviations, would result in this type of failure. The possible process issues were narrowed to variations of via resistances on the bit and bit_bar lines. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) inspection of the the Focused Ion Beam (FIB) cross sections followed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) showed the presence of contaminants at the bottom of the vias causing resistance variations.


Author(s):  
Romaneh Jalilian ◽  
David Mudd ◽  
Neil Torrez ◽  
Jose Rivera ◽  
Mehdi M. Yazdanpanah ◽  
...  

Abstract The sample preparation for transmission electron microscope can be done using a method known as "lift-out". This paper demonstrates a method of using a silver-gallium nanoneedle array for a quicker sharpening process of tungsten probes with better sample viewing, covering the fabrication steps and performance of needle-tipped probes for lift-out process. First, an array of high aspect ratio silver-gallium nanoneedles was fabricated and coated to improve their conductivity and strength. Then, the nanoneedles were welded to a regular tungsten probe in the focused ion beam system at the desired angle, and used as a sharp probe for lift-out. The paper demonstrates the superior mechanical properties of crystalline silver-gallium metallic nanoneedles. Finally, a weldless lift-out process is described whereby a nano-fork gripper was fabricated by attaching two nanoneedles to a tungsten probe.


Author(s):  
Qi Chen ◽  
W. D. Griffiths

AbstractIn this work, Mo was added into Al melt to reduce the detrimental effect of double-oxide film defect. An air bubble was trapped in a liquid metal (2L99), served as an analogy for double-oxide film defect in aluminum alloy castings. It was found that the addition of Mo significantly accelerated the consumption of the entrapped bubble by 60 pct after holding for 1 hour. 2 sets of testbar molds were then cast, with 2L99 and 2L99+Mo alloy, with a badly designed running system, intended to deliberately introduce double oxide film defects into the liquid metal. Tensile testing showed that, with the addition of Mo, the Weibull modulus of the Ultimate Tensile Strength and pct Elongation was increased by a factor of 2.5 (from 9 to 23) and 2 (from 2.5 to 4.5), respectively. The fracture surface of 2L99+Mo alloy testbars revealed areas of nitrides contained within bi-film defects. Cross-sections through those defects by Focused Ion Beam milling suggested that the surface layer were permeable, which could be as thick as 30 μm, compared to around 500 nm for the typical oxide film thickness. Transmission Electron Microscopy analysis suggested that the nitride-containing layer consisted of nitride particles as well as spinel phase of various form. The hypothesis was raised that the permeability of the nitride layers promote the reaction between the entrapped atmosphere in the defect and the surrounding liquid metal, reducing the defect size and decreasing their impact on mechanical properties.


Ceramics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 568-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frigan ◽  
Chevalier ◽  
Zhang ◽  
Spies

The market share of zirconia (ZrO2) dental implants is steadily increasing. This material comprises a polymorphous character with three temperature-dependent crystalline structures, namely monoclinic (m), tetragonal (t) and cubic (c) phases. Special attention is given to the tetragonal phase when maintained in a metastable state at room temperature. Metastable tetragonal grains allow for the beneficial phenomenon of Phase Transformation Toughening (PTT), resulting in a high fracture resistance, but may lead to an undesired surface transformation to the monoclinic phase in a humid environment (low-temperature degradation, LTD, often referred to as ‘ageing’). Today, the clinical safety of zirconia dental implants by means of long-term stability is being addressed by two international ISO standards. These standards impose different experimental setups concerning the dynamic fatigue resistance of the final product (ISO 14801) or the ageing behavior of a standardized sample (ISO 13356) separately. However, when evaluating zirconia dental implants pre-clinically, oral environmental conditions should be simulated to the extent possible by combining a hydrothermal treatment and dynamic fatigue. For failure analysis, phase transformation might be quantified by non-destructive techniques, such as X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) or Raman spectroscopy, whereas Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of cross-sections or Focused Ion Beam (FIB) sections might be used for visualization of the monoclinic layer growth in depth. Finally, a minimum load should be defined for static loading to fracture. The purpose of this communication is to contribute to the current discussion on how to optimize the aforementioned standards in order to guarantee clinical safety for the patients.


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