A Small Spot, Inert Gas, Ion Milling Process as a Complementary Technique to Focused Ion Beam Specimen Preparation. (19th June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fischione, Paul E.; Williams, Robert E.A.; Genç, Arda; Fraser, Hamish L.; Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E.; Luysberg, Martina; Bonifacio, Cecile S.; Kovács, András
• Is Part Of: Microscopy and microanalysis. Volume 23:Number 4(2017)
• Page Start: 782
• Page End: 793
• Publication Date: 2017-06-19
• Subjects: ion milling, -- focused ion beam, -- amorphous damage, -- implantation, -- artifact; Microscopy -- Periodicals; Microchemistry -- Periodicals; 502.82
• DOI: 10.1017/S1431927617000514
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1431-9276

Abstract

Abstract: This paper reports on the substantial improvement of specimen quality by use of a low voltage (0.05 to ~1 keV), small diameter (~1 μ m), argon ion beam following initial preparation using conventional broad-beam ion milling or focused ion beam. The specimens show significant reductions in the amorphous layer thickness and implanted artifacts. The targeted ion milling controls the specimen thickness according to the needs of advanced aberration-corrected and/or analytical transmission electron microscopy applications.