The focused ion beam (FIB) system is an important tool for understanding and manipulating the structure of materials at the nanoscale. Combining this system with an electron beam creates a DualBeam - a single system that can function as an imaging, analytical and sample modification tool. Presenting the principles, capabilities, challenges and applications of the FIB technique, this edited volume, first published in 2007, comprehensively covers the ion beam technology including the DualBeam. The basic principles of ion beam and two-beam systems, their interaction with materials, etching and deposition are all covered, as well as in situ materials characterization, sample preparation, three-dimensional reconstruction and applications in biomaterials and nanotechnology. With nanostructured materials becoming increasingly important in micromechanical, electronic and magnetic devices, this self-contained review of the range of ion beam methods, their advantages, and when best to implement them is a valuable resource for researchers in materials science, electrical engineering and nanotechnology.

An electron beam system is based on a plasma generator in a plasma ion source with an accelerator column. The electrons are extracted from a plasma cathode in a plasma ion source, e.g. a multicusp plasma ion source. The beam can be scanned in both the x and y directions, and the system can be operated with multiple beamlets. A compact focused ion or electron beam system has a plasma ion source and an all-electrostatic beam acceleration and focusing column. The ion source is a small chamber with the plasma produced by radio-frequency (RF) induction discharge. The RF antenna is wound outside the chamber and connected to an RF supply. Ions or electrons can be extracted from the source. A multi-beam system has several sources of different species and an electron beam source.

This book comprehensively reviews the achievements and potentials of a minimally invasive, three-dimensional, and maskless surface structuring technique operating at nanometer scale by using the interaction of focused ion and electron beams (FIB/FEB) with surfaces and injected molecules.

Introduction to Focused Ion Beams is geared towards techniques and applications. This is the only text that discusses and presents the theory directly related to applications and the only one that discusses the vast applications and techniques used in FIBs and dual platform instruments.

The focused ion beam (FIB) system is an important tool for understanding and manipulating the structure of materials at the nanoscale. Combining this system with an electron beam creates a DualBeam - a single system that can function as an imaging, analytical and sample modification tool. Presenting the principles, capabilities, challenges and applications of the FIB technique, this edited volume, first published in 2007, comprehensively covers the ion beam technology including the DualBeam. The basic principles of ion beam and two-beam systems, their interaction with materials, etching and deposition are all covered, as well as in situ materials characterization, sample preparation, three-dimensional reconstruction and applications in biomaterials and nanotechnology. With nanostructured materials becoming increasingly important in micromechanical, electronic and magnetic devices, this self-contained review of the range of ion beam methods, their advantages, and when best to implement them is a valuable resource for researchers in materials science, electrical engineering and nanotechnology.

In this book, we have attempted to produce a reference on high resolution focused ion beams (FIBs) that will be useful for both the user and the designer of FIB instrumentation. We have included a mix of theory and applications that seemed most useful to us. The field of FIBs has advanced rapidly since the application of the first field emission ion sources in the early 1970s. The development of the liquid metal ion source (LMIS) in the late 1960s and early 1970s and its application for FIBs in the late 1970s have resulted in a powerful tool for research and for industry. There have been hundreds of papers written on many aspects of LMIS and FIBs, and a useful and informative book on these subjects was published in 1991 by Phil Prewett and Grame Mair. Because there have been so many new applications and uses found for FIBs in the last ten years we felt that it was time for another book on the subject.

Provides an up-to-date review and analysis of liquid metal ion sources and their applications. The contents range from a discussion of the fundamental physics underlying operation of the liquid metal ion sources, through the technical details of their construction and manufacture to their performance characteristics. Their use in focused ion beam systems is covered in detail, including a discussion of the fundamentals of ion optical focusing column design and the various microengineering applications.