Focused Ion Beam (FIB)
A
focused ion beam system (FIB) is a relatively new tool that has a high
degree of analogy with a focused electron beam system such as a
scanning electron microscope or a transmission electron microscope. In
these systems the electron beam is directed towards the sample, and
upon interaction it generates signals that are used to create high
magnification images of the sample. As the beam is well controlled in
size and position and the signals are strong enough to be detected
without excessive noise, these kinds of tools are very powerful to
analyze samples in great detail over a wide range of magnifications.
The major difference with a focused ion beam system is the use of a
different particle to create the primary beam that interacts with the
sample. As the name FIB indicates, ions are used instead of electrons.
In a scanning electron microscope (SEM) , electrons are accelerated and
focused onto the sample surface. The beam can be scanned over the
sample surface to create an image, or can be controlled by a patterning
function to locally expose the sample to the beam, as for example used
in e-beam lithography. These same basic functions are found in a
focused ion beam system, such as FEI's V600 line of FIBs . The V600™
focused ion beam (FIB) system provides a complete solution for
general-purpose edit and debug. Based on the field-proven success of
FEI’s FIB 200, the V600FIB offers the next generation of flexibility
and performance required for effective cross-sectioning, imaging and
transmission electron microscopy (TEM) sample preparation. The V600CE™
focused ion beam (FIB) system incorporates the latest
developments in ion column design, gas delivery and end point detection
to provide fast, efficient, cost-effective editing on advanced
integrated circuits at the 65 nm technology node and beyond.
