IEEE Dayton Section

Materials characterization and analysis is the driving force for advancing technological capabilities. Sample preparation for materials characterization and analysis is critical to gain a better understanding of a materials microstructure. Understanding the structure helps reveal physical and chemical properties, and offers an insight into how materials are processed. All three are inter-connected with a change in one resulting in changes in the others. Materials analysis occurs from the macroscopic down to the atomistic level. The amount of time needed for sample preparation is critical and dependent on the specific technique used to prepare specimens. The gallium-based focused ion beam (FIB) was designed to be a circuit editor but was quickly adapted to prepare specimens for TEM. It was also used for serial slice and view of bulk materials, albeit on an area-limited microscopic scale. The gallium ion beam also introduced artifacts when working on aluminum & gallium-based materials and microelectronics. The xenon (Xe) plasma FIB (PFIB) was introduced a~2012 and has opened a larger-scale application space not attainable with the gallium-beam FIB. Using xenon as the primary ionic species allows for much higher beam currents reducing specimen preparation times. Xenon also prevents gallium-beam contamination and artifacts in aluminum & gallium-based materials and microelectronics research. The newest generation of PFIBS offers a multi-plasma source selectable with not just xenon, but the ability to choose argon, nitrogen or oxygen as the plasma source. Each plasma ionic species has unique materials applications for ‘soft-materials’ such as biological tissue and polymers, for example. The application space is wide-open at with the full potential of this new generation PFIB yet to be seen. This proposal outlines the need for the HYDRA PFIB, the impact it will have on the study of ultra-high temperature materials and microelectronics, and how it enable materials research from the macroscopic to the atomic levels. Co-sponsored by: Wright-Patt Multi-Intelligence Development Consortium (WPMDC), The DOD & DOE Communities Speaker(s): , Tim Agenda: Materials characterization and analysis is the driving force for advancing technological capabilities. Sample preparation for materials characterization and analysis is critical to gain a better understanding of a materials microstructure. Understanding the structure helps reveal physical and chemical properties, and offers an insight into how materials are processed. All three are inter-connected with a change in one resulting in changes in the others. Materials analysis occurs from the macroscopic down to the atomistic level. The amount of time needed for sample preparation is critical and dependent on the specific technique used to prepare specimens. The gallium-based focused ion beam (FIB) was designed to be a circuit editor but was quickly adapted to prepare specimens for TEM. It was also used for serial slice and view of bulk materials, albeit on an area-limited microscopic scale. The gallium ion beam also introduced artifacts when working on aluminum & gallium-based materials and microelectronics. The xenon (Xe) plasma FIB (PFIB) was introduced a~2012 and has opened a larger-scale application space not attainable with the gallium-beam FIB. Using xenon as the primary ionic species allows for much higher beam currents reducing specimen preparation times. Xenon also prevents gallium-beam contamination and artifacts in aluminum & gallium-based materials and microelectronics research. The newest generation of PFIBS offers a multi-plasma source selectable with not just xenon, but the ability to choose argon, nitrogen or oxygen as the plasma source. Each plasma ionic species has unique materials applications for ‘soft-materials’ such as biological tissue and polymers, for example. The application space is wide-open at with the full potential of this new generation PFIB yet to be seen. This proposal outlines the need for the HYDRA PFIB, the impact it will have on the study of ultra-high temperature materials and microelectronics, and how it enable materials research from the macroscopic to the atomic levels. Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/361497