scholarly journals Focused Ion Beam-Based Specimen Preparation for Atom Probe Tomography

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ji Yeong Lee ◽  
Jae-Pyoung Ahn
2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 544-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fengzai Tang ◽  
Michael P. Moody ◽  
Tomas L. Martin ◽  
Paul A.J. Bagot ◽  
Menno J. Kappers ◽  
...  

AbstractVarious practical issues affecting atom probe tomography (APT) analysis of III-nitride semiconductors have been studied as part of an investigation using a c-plane InAlN/GaN heterostructure. Specimen preparation was undertaken using a focused ion beam microscope with a mono-isotopic Ga source. This enabled the unambiguous observation of implantation damage induced by sample preparation. In the reconstructed InAlN layer Ga implantation was demonstrated for the standard “clean-up” voltage (5 kV), but this was significantly reduced by using a lower voltage (e.g., 1 kV). The characteristics of APT data from the desorption maps to the mass spectra and measured chemical compositions were examined within the GaN buffer layer underlying the InAlN layer in both pulsed laser and pulsed voltage modes. The measured Ga content increased monotonically with increasing laser pulse energy and voltage pulse fraction within the examined ranges. The best results were obtained at very low laser energy, with the Ga content close to the expected stoichiometric value for GaN and the associated desorption map showing a clear crystallographic pole structure.


2018 ◽  
Vol 188 ◽  
pp. 19-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Bogdanowicz ◽  
A. Kumar ◽  
C. Fleischmann ◽  
M. Gilbert ◽  
J. Houard ◽  
...  

2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 347-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pyuck-Pa Choi ◽  
Tala'at Al-Kassab ◽  
Young-Soon Kwon ◽  
Ji-Soon Kim ◽  
Reiner Kirchheim

Focused ion-beam milling has been applied to prepare needle-shaped atom probe tomography specimens from mechanically alloyed powders without the use of embedding media. The lift-out technique known from transmission electron microscopy specimen preparation was modified to cut micron-sized square cross-sectional blanks out of single powder particles. A sequence of rectangular cuts and annular milling showed the highest efficiency for sharpening the blanks to tips. First atom probe results on a Fe95Cu5 powder mechanically alloyed in a high-energy planetary ball mill for 20 h have been obtained. Concentration profiles taken from this powder sample showed that the Cu distribution is inhomogeneous on a nanoscale and that the mechanical alloying process has not been completed yet. In addition, small clusters of oxygen, stemming from the ball milling process, have been detected. Annular milling with 30 keV Ga ions and beam currents ≥50 pA was found to cause the formation of an amorphous surface layer, whereas no structural changes could be observed for beam currents ≤10 pA.


2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 583-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine P. Rice ◽  
Yimeng Chen ◽  
Ty J. Prosa ◽  
David J. Larson

AbstractThere are advantages to performing transmission electron backscattering diffraction (tEBSD) in conjunction with focused ion beam-based specimen preparation for atom probe tomography (APT). Although tEBSD allows users to identify the position and character of grain boundaries, which can then be combined with APT to provide full chemical and orientation characterization of grain boundaries, tEBSD can also provide imaging information that improves the APT specimen preparation process by insuring proper placement of the targeted grain boundary within an APT specimen. In this report we discuss sample tilt angles, ion beam milling energies, and other considerations to optimize Kikuchi diffraction pattern quality for the APT specimen geometry. Coordinated specimen preparation and analysis of a grain boundary in a Ni-based Inconel 600 alloy is used to illustrate the approach revealing a 50° misorientation and trace element segregation to the grain boundary.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ty J. Prosa ◽  
David J. Larson

AbstractApproximately 30 years after the first use of focused ion beam (FIB) instruments to prepare atom probe tomography specimens, this technique has grown to be used by hundreds of researchers around the world. This past decade has seen tremendous advances in atom probe applications, enabled by the continued development of FIB-based specimen preparation methodologies. In this work, we provide a short review of the origin of the FIB method and the standard methods used today for lift-out and sharpening, using the annular milling method as applied to atom probe tomography specimens. Key steps for enabling correlative analysis with transmission electron-beam backscatter diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and atom probe tomography are presented, and strategies for preparing specimens for modern microelectronic device structures are reviewed and discussed in detail. Examples are used for discussion of the steps for each of these methods. We conclude with examples of the challenges presented by complex topologies such as nanowires, nanoparticles, and organic materials.


Author(s):  
Woo Jun Kwon ◽  
Jisu Ryu ◽  
Christopher H. Kang ◽  
Michael B. Schmidt ◽  
Nicholas Croy

Abstract Focused ion beam (FIB) microscopy is an essential technique for the site-specific sample preparation of atom probe tomography (APT). The site specific APT and automated APT sample preparation by FIB have allowed increased APT sample volume. In the workflow of APT sampling, it is very critical to control depth of the sample where exact region of interest (ROI) for accurate APT analysis. Very precise depth control is required at low kV cleaning process in order to remove the damaged layer by previous high kV FIB process steps. We found low kV cleaning process with 5 kV and followed by 2kV beam conditions delivers better control to reached exact ROI on Z direction. This understanding is key to make APT sample with fully automated fashion.


1999 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
D J Larson ◽  
D T Foord ◽  
A K Petford-Long ◽  
A Cerezo ◽  
G D W Smith

Author(s):  
V. V. Khoroshilov ◽  
O. A. Korchuganova ◽  
A. A. Lukyanchuk ◽  
O. A. Raznitsyn ◽  
A. A. Aleev ◽  
...  

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