FEI DualBeam™ Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscope
FEI Helios Nanolab 600
The Helios Dualbeam was installed in Feb 2008 and is a flagship instrument of the AMMRF.
In a single instrument platform it combines a high resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) with high resolution focussed ion beam (FIB).
The FIB uses a focused beam of Ga+ ions to sputter the surface of the sample to expose sub-surface features. The ion beam can also be used to form high resolution images if the beam current is kept low enough to avoid excessive surface sputtering.
The addition of a high resolution SEM allows the collection of electron induced signals from the exposed surfaces. These include secondary and back-scattered electron images, characteristic x-ray and electron back-scattered diffraction images for analysis of crystal structure, crystallographic orientation and phase type. The instrument also has a solid state STEM detector allowing the imaging of very thin samples .
Instrument capabilities
Sample machining
Sample cross-sections
Feature size measurement
TEM foil preparation
Site specific sample selection
Atom probe needles
Sample selection, placement and shaping
3D microscopy
Slice and view
Micro-analytical investing
EDXS – Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy
The collection of the emitted x-rays by a solid state detector and the measurement and display of their energy distribution. This makes possible the identification, quantification and mapping of elements in a solid sample.
EBSD- Electron Back – Scattered Diffraction
OIM – Orientation Imaging Microscopy
The measurements of local orientation by the collection of patterns formed by diffraction of back – scattered electrons within the crystal structure
‘Delpi’
A program which allows the simultaneous collection of EBSD and EDXS data. This makes it Possible to use sample chemistry to aid in phase identification when materials have similar diffraction patterns.
This instrument is operated by Dualbeam Engineer Len Green.
For more details regarding the FIB's capabilities go to... http://www.feicompany.com/products/families/helios-nanolab-family.aspx
