一般財団法人材料科学技術振興財団　MST Official site

FIB refers to a focused ion beam with a diameter ranging from a few nanometers to several hundred nanometers, which can be used to scan the sample surface to etch or deposit material in specific areas.

■Sample processing using fine ion beams When Ga ions are irradiated onto the sample surface, atoms and molecules that make up the sample surface are ejected into the vacuum along with the Ga. By applying this sputtering phenomenon to etching, smooth cross-sections can be produced with sub-micron precision, or holes can be drilled. ■Formation of three-dimensional structures using raw gas supply By spraying raw gas onto the sample surface to adsorb it and then irradiating a focused ion beam onto the desired area, only the irradiated portion undergoes a chemical change, resulting in the formation of a deposition thin film in that area. ■Observation using a secondary electron detector The sample surface is scanned with a focused ion beam narrowed down to the sub-micron order, and the secondary electrons emitted from the surface during this process are detected and captured as an image on a display. This is referred to as a scanning ion microscope image (SIM image).

Elemental analysis, state evaluation, particle size analysis, and acquisition of three-dimensional structural images at the nanoscale.

When electrons pass through a thin sample, some electrons continue straight through the sample, while others are scattered due to the type of atoms and crystallinity. The scattered electrons can be broadly classified into elastic scattered electrons and inelastic scattered electrons, and by selecting and imaging these electrons according to the purpose, insights into the morphology, crystal structure, composition, and electronic states within the sample can be obtained.