Optimizing Gas-Assisted FIB Processes: The Importance of Oft-Ignored Secondary Parameters

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Rue ◽  
S. Herschbein ◽  
C. Scrudato ◽  
L. Fischer ◽  
A. Shore
Keyword(s):  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Vacuum Chamber ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
Metal Films ◽  
Deposited Metal ◽  
Influence Process ◽  
Focused Beams ◽  
Gas Pressures

Abstract The efficiency of Gas-Assisted Etching (GAE) and depositions performed using the Focused Ion Beam (FIB) technique is subject to numerous factors. Besides the wellknown primary parameters recommended by the FIB manufacturer (pixel spacing, dwell time, and gas pressures), certain secondary factors can also have a pronounced effect on the quality of these gas-assisted FIB operations. The position of the gas delivery nozzle during XeF2 mills on silicon is examined and was found to affect both the milling speed and the texture on the floor of the FIB trench. Limitations arising from the memory capacity of the FIB computer can also influence process times and trench quality. Exposing the FIB vacuum chamber to TMCTS during SiO2 depositions is found to temporarily impede the performance of subsequent tungsten depositions, especially following heavy or prolonged TMCTS exposure. A delay period may be required to achieve optimal tungsten depositions following TMCTS use. Finally, the focusing conditions of the ion beam are found to have a significant impact on the resistance of FIB-deposited metal films. This effect is attributed to partial milling of the deposition film due to the intense current density of the collimated ion beam. The resistances of metal depositions performed with intentionally defocused ion beams were found to be lower than those performed with focused beams.

A method to improve the quality of 2.5 dimensional micro-and nano-structures produced by focused ion beam machining

Micron ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 101 ◽  
pp. 8-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele De Felicis ◽  
Muhammad Zeeshan Mughal ◽  
Edoardo Bemporad
Keyword(s):  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Nano Structures

High Conductivity FIB Deposited Metal

1995 ◽  
Vol 396 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.G. Blauner ◽  
A. Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Deposition Process ◽  
Gold Deposition ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Annealing Step ◽  
Deposited Metal ◽  
Major Application ◽  
Deposition Processes

AbstractThe ion beam induced metal deposition processes now employed by commercial focused ion beam (FIB) tools all demonstrate less than optimal characteristics for use in circuit repair, a major application of these tools. In particular, the processes have low efficiencies, the metals produced have poor conductivity, and some form of clean up is generally required to remove excess material surrounding the repair site. The gold deposition process developed for x-ray mask repair, in contrast, exhibits efficiencies 10-50 times higher with significantly less material deposited in unwanted areas. Unfortunately, the conductivity of the gold is even poorer than that of materials now used for FIB circuit repair.In this paper, an annealing step which improves the conductivity of FIB deposited Au is described. Results are presented demonstrating resistivities of 5-15 μΩ-cm while maintaining the high efficiency of the gold deposition process. The suitability of the process for use in FIB circuit repair is discussed.

scholarly journals Automated cryo-lamella preparation for high-throughput in-situ structural biology

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genevieve Buckley ◽  
Gediminas Gervinskas ◽  
Cyntia Taveneau ◽  
Hari Venugopal ◽  
James C. Whisstock ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Structural Biology ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Automated Method ◽  
Cellular Environment ◽  
Transmission Electron

AbstractCryo-transmission electron tomography (cryo-ET) in association with cryo-focused ion beam (cryo-FIB) milling enables structural biology studies to be performed directly within the cellular environment. Cryo-preserved cells are milled and a lamella with a thickness of 200-300 nm provides an electron transparent window suitable for cryo-ET imaging. Cryo-FIB milling is an effective method, but it is a tedious and time-consuming process, which typically results in ~10 lamellae per day. Here, we introduce an automated method to reproducibly prepare cryo-lamellae on a grid and reduce the amount of human supervision. We tested the routine on cryo-preserved Saccharomyces cerevisiae and demonstrate that this method allows an increased throughput, achieving a rate of 5 lamellae/hour without the need to supervise the FIB milling. We demonstrate that the quality of the lamellae is consistent throughout the preparation and their compatibility with cryo-ET analyses.

Thermoelectric Transport Properties of Individual Bismuth Nanowires

2001 ◽  
Vol 691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen B. Cronin ◽  
Yu-Ming Lin ◽  
Oded Rabin ◽  
Marcie R. Black ◽  
Gene Dresselhaus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Dependence ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Point Contacts ◽  
Large Spread ◽  
Thermoelectric Transport Properties ◽  
Bismuth Nanowires ◽  
Increasing Temperature ◽  
Magneto Resistance

ABSTRACTWe developed a method for making 4-point contacts to Bi nanowires with a thick oxide coat using a combination of lithographic and focused ion beam (FIB) techniques. The resistivity of Bi nanowires with diameters in the range 70-200nm is found to increase with decreasing wire diameter. In contrast to bulk Bi, the temperature dependence of the resistivity is found to decrease monotonically with increasing temperature. The results are explained on the basis of increased scattering in the nanowire and the known temperature dependence of the electronic properties of bulk Bi. A large magneto-resistance was also measured, indicating a high crystalline quality of the nanowires. A large spread in the measured values of the resistivity indicates significant systematic error in the measurement technique. Possible sources for error are discussed.

scholarly journals 50 nm Scale Alignment Method for Hybrid Manufacturing Processes for Full 3D Structuring

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 2407-2417
Author(s):  
Ki-Hwan Jang ◽  
Hae-Sung Yoon ◽  
Hyun-Taek Lee ◽  
Eunseob Kim ◽  
Sung-Hoon Ahn
Keyword(s):  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Manufacturing Processes ◽  
Alignment Error ◽  
Alignment Method ◽  
Major Research ◽  
Hybrid Processes

AbstractIn micro-/nano-scale, multi-material three-dimensional (3D), structuring has been a major research area for making various applications. To overcome dimensional and material limitations, several hybrid processes have been proposed. The hybrid processes were performed in the same or different numerically controlled stages. If the stages differed, the substrate was moved and locked to the stage before fabrication. During the locking, alignment error occurred. This error became problematic because this significantly compromised the quality of final structures. Here, an alignment method for a hybrid process consisted of a focused ion beam milling, aerodynamically focused nanoparticle printing, and micro-machining was developed. Two sets of collinear marks were placed at the edges of the substrate. Rotational and translational errors were calculated and compensated using the marks. Processes having different scales were bridged through this alignment method. Various materials were utilized, and accuracy was less than 50 nm when the length of the substrate was less than 13 mm. The alignment method was employed to fabricate a V-shaped structure and step-shaped structure using polymer, ceramic, and metal.

scholarly journals Focused Ion Beam Milling of Single-Crystal Sapphire with A-, C-, and M-Orientations

Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 2871
Author(s):  
Qiuling Wen ◽  
Xinyu Wei ◽  
Feng Jiang ◽  
Jing Lu ◽  
Xipeng Xu
Keyword(s):  
Single Crystal ◽  
Surface Quality ◽  
Material Removal ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Removal Rate ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Crystal Orientations ◽  
Aluminum Ions ◽  
Single Crystal Sapphire

Sapphire substrates with different crystal orientations are widely used in optoelectronic applications. In this work, focused ion beam (FIB) milling of single-crystal sapphire with A-, C-, and M-orientations was performed. The material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness (Sa) of sapphire with the three crystal orientations after FIB etching were derived. The experimental results show that: The MRR of A-plane sapphire is slightly higher than that of C-plane and M-plane sapphires; the Sa of A-plane sapphire after FIB treatment is the smallest among the three different crystal orientations. These results imply that A-plane sapphire allows easier material removal during FIB milling compared with C-plane and M-plane sapphires. Moreover, the surface quality of A-plane sapphire after FIB milling is better than that of C-plane and M-plane sapphires. The theoretical calculation results show that the removal energy of aluminum ions and oxygen ions per square nanometer on the outermost surface of A-plane sapphire is the smallest. This also implies that material is more easily removed from the surface of A-plane sapphire than the surface of C-plane and M-plane sapphires by FIB milling. In addition, it is also found that higher MRR leads to lower Sa and better surface quality of sapphire for FIB etching.

The role of ion-beam cleaning in the growth of strained-layer epitaxial thin transition metal films

1987 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 446-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sung I. Park ◽  
A. Marshall ◽  
R. H. Hammond ◽  
T. H. Geballe ◽  
J. Talvacchio
Keyword(s):  
Tunnel Junctions ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Surface Damage ◽  
Metal Films ◽  
Strained Layer ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Lattice Matched

Low-energy ion-beam cleaning of the substrates prior to a deposition greatly enhances the quality of ultrathin (< 100 Å) refractory superconducting (Nb, V) films. Using this technique Nb films as thin as 7 Å have been grown, from which good tunnel junctions have been fabricated. Both the native films and the tunnel junctions are sturdy and can be thermally recycled without any degradation. In-situ surface study along with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results suggest the removal of the carbon atoms from the surface of the substrate without an apparent surface damage as the causes of the improvement. The TEM results indicate that the Nb films grow perfectly lattice matched to the sapphire substrate when the substrate is ion-beam cleaned. This strained-layer epitaxy is observed up to 40 Å, the maximum thickness investigated through TEM.

scholarly journals Collection of continuous rotation MicroED Data from Ion Beam Milled Crystals of Any Size

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael W. Martynowycz ◽  
Wei Zhao ◽  
Johan Hattne ◽  
Grant J. Jensen ◽  
Tamir Gonen
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Air Interface ◽  
Structure Solution ◽  
Continuous Rotation ◽  
Macromolecular Protein ◽  
Subsequent Sample

AbstractMicrocrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) allows for macromolecular structure solution from nanocrystals. To create crystals of suitable size for MicroED data collection, sample preparation typically involves sonication or pipetting a slurry of crystals from a crystallization drop. The resultant crystal fragments are fragile and the quality of the data that can be obtained from them is sensitive to subsequent sample preparation for cryoEM as interactions in the water-air interface can damage crystals during blotting. Here, we demonstrate the use of a focused ion beam to generate lamellae of macromolecular protein crystals for continuous rotation MicroED that are of ideal thickness, easy to locate, and require no blotting optimization. In this manner, crystals of nearly any size may be scooped and milled to ideal dimensions prior to data collection, thus streamlining the methodology for sample preparation for MicroED.

Using Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) to Determine the Resistance of FIB Jumpers for Circuit Edit

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael DiBattista ◽  
Corey Senowitz ◽  
Hasan Faraby ◽  
Prabhakar Bandaru
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Circuits ◽  
Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Chemical Elements ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Metal Resistance ◽  
Energy Dispersive ◽  
Deposited Metal ◽  
Organometallic Precursors

Abstract A key capability of focused ion beam (FIB) tools is the ability to deposit conductive materials by introducing organometallic precursors such as tungsten hexacarbonyl [W(CO)6] or (methylcyclopentadienl) trimethyl platinum [C9H17Pt]. The FIB deposited metal is often used in applications such as the modification of integrated circuits (ICs) by creating new electrical connection on the device. The electrical properties of the FIB material are of particular concern to high speed digital and radio frequency (RF) circuit designers because the resistivity of the FIB deposited metal is orders of magnitude higher in value than the near bulk resistivity value of the metals used in IC manufacturing. In this paper, we developed a correlation between the chemical composition of the FIB deposited metal and the electrical resistivity using an effective media theory (EMT) model. Analysis shows that gallium from the ion beam is the dominant contributor to lowering the resistivity of the jumper. The results of this work and model allow us to understand the role the chemical elements play in the electrical resistance of the FIB electrical jumper and to estimate the FIB metal resistance from energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis and the geometry.

A Detailed Procedure for Reliable Preparation of Tem Samples Using Fib Milling

1997 ◽  
Vol 480 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. H.-I Su ◽  
H. T. Shishido ◽  
F. Tsai ◽  
L. Liang ◽  
F. C. Mercado
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Circuit ◽  
Reliable Method ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Beam Spreading ◽  
The Past ◽  
Detailed Procedure ◽  
Defect Sites ◽  
Different Types

AbstractAlthough many publications have discussed focused ion beam (FIB) preparation of TEM samples, few have presented a detailed, step-by-step milling procedure. This is a summary of techniques that evolved over the past 3 years in our laboratory. In addition to describing more traditional mechanical pre-thinning techniques, we introduce a method to pre-thin samples down to thicknesses of the order of 20 μm within 1 hour using a wafer dicing saw. We then discuss different ways to handle mechanically difficult samples such as those prone to delaminate. Our approach to FIB milling is designed to minimize the effects of ion-beam spreading which is responsible for most of the failures to prepare good FIBTEM samples. The technique is presented in a step-by-step fashion including a simple yet reliable method to terminate FIB milling. Examples are shown to illustrate applications to different types of problems including - precision cross-sectioning of integrated circuit (IC) devices, cross-sectioning of samples prone to delamination, and cross-sectioning of specific defect sites. Finally, we discuss the effect of artifacts in the quality of TEM samples.

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