Focused ion beam

About: Focused ion beam is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 12154 publications have been published within this topic receiving 179523 citations. The topic is also known as: FIB.

Focused ion beam induced deposition: fabrication of three-dimensional microstructures and Young's modulus of the deposited material

Abstract: In this work, some of the possibilities of focused ion beams for applications in microsystem technology are explored. Unlike most previous studies, the emphasis is on `additive' techniques, i.e. localized maskless deposition of metals and insulators. More precisely, we will show the possibility of fabricating small three-dimensional structures, using focused ion beam deposition of silicon oxide. Deposition examples will show that the technique is most promising for small post-processing steps or prototyping, because of its high degree of flexibility. Furthermore, an investigation into the mechanical properties of the deposited material is presented. More specifically, the Young's modulus of the deposited silicon oxide is determined.

Etching characteristics of LiNbO3 in reactive ion etching and inductively coupled plasma

Abstract: The etching characteristics of congruent LiNbO3 single crystals including doped LiNbO3 and proton-changed LiNbO3 have been studied in reactive ion etching (RIE) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching tools, using different recipes of gas mixtures. The effects of parameters including working pressure, RIE power, and ICP power are investigated and analyzed by measurement of etching depth, selectivity, uniformity, etched surface state, and sidewall profile by means of focused ion beam etching, energy-dispersive x-ray analysis, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and surface profilometry. The effects of a sample carrier wafer coating have also been investigated. Optimized processes with high etching rates, good mask selectivity, and a near-vertical profile have been achieved. Ridge waveguides on proton-exchanged LiNbO3 have been fabricated and optically measured.

Medium resolution off-axis electron holography with millivolt sensitivity

Abstract: Focused ion beam prepared silicon calibration specimens with boron doped layers have been examined using off-axis electron holography. By using a state-of-the-art FEI Titan microscope with unprecedented stability, we have been able to record holograms for time periods of 128s with contrast levels of almost 40% and an average signal on the charge coupled device camera of 30 000 counts. A consequence of this is a significant improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio in the phase images allowing steps in potential of less than 0.030±0.003V to be measured if sufficient care is taken during specimen preparation.

Writing FIB implantation and subsequent anisotropic wet chemical etching for fabrication of 3D structures in silicon

Abstract: The further miniaturization of silicon micromechanical structures in combination with the highly developed microelectronic technology at the micrometre and sub-micrometre level will lead to a new generation of microdevices. A modern technique to fabricate three-dimensional micromechanical structures is the combination of high-concentration p′ -doping by writing ion implantation using a focused ion beam (FIB) and subsequent anisotropic and selective wet chemical etching. FIB-patterned and chemically etched 3D Si structures with nanoscale thickness have been fabricated using 35 keV Ga + ion implantation and subsequent anisotropic etching in KOH/H 2 O solution. Design and fabrication considerations to achieve freestanding Si structures are discussed and some typical structures are shown.

Fabrication of long-period fiber gratings by use of focused ion-beam irradiation

Abstract: Long-period gratings have been made in nonphotosensitive optical fibers by irradiation of the core of a fiber with a focused beam of high-energy protons. The irradiated fibers exhibit relatively low loss, even before thermal annealing, and possess strongly wavelength-dependent transmission. The absence of a mask provides the opportunity to tailor the grating to a desired profile, and a variety of grating profiles were explored. The profile most resembling a sinusoid was found to produce the cleanest transmission spectra.