The capability of using a focused ion beam (FIB) for milling of submicron channel structures on a gold layer is investigated. A double-charged arsenic (As2+) FIB is adopted to assess the effect of the dwell time on the final profiles of the milled structures. A single-pass milling, which creates relatively shallow microchannels, is conducted in order to estimate the corresponding milling yields. The condition to provide a uniform ion flux in milling is first studied. The procedure on conducting the milling experiment is then presented. The atomic force microscope (AFM) is applied for measuring the profiles of the milled channels. Based on the AFM measurements, the milling yields have been estimated and compared with the sputtering yields predicted by a more sophisticated numerical simulation. The milling yield for the relatively shallow microchannels presently considered has been discovered to be roughly equal to the predicted normal-incidence sputtering yield. Consistence has also been found as the present findings have been compared with other channel milling studies, which had used different ion beams and target materials. FIB milling has been shown to be an effective tool for making submicron channels in gold layers.
The material removal rate or milling yield of using the focused ion beam (FIB) for milling two-layer substrates is studied. The preparation of the two-layer substrate is first presented and is followed by the procedure on conducting the milling experiment. The effects of the dwell time on the milling rate and the final profiles of the milled structures are investigated. The atomic force microscope (AFM) is applied for measuring the profiles of the milled channels. Based on the AFM measurements, a relatively simple formula is developed to estimate the milling yield, which is normally dictated by both the characteristics of sputtering and redeposition for channel milling. The estimated milling rates are then compared with the corresponding sputtering yields predicted using a different numerical scheme. The milling rates obtained presently are discovered to be roughly equal to the predicted normal-incidence sputtering yields for both layers involved. Consistency is found as the present findings are compared with other milling studies on single-layer substrates. Finally, concluding remarks that summarize the present work and suggest future work on FIB milling are included.
The capability of using Focused Ion Beam (FIB) for milling microchannels is experimentally and theoretically investigated. Microchannel structures are fabricated by a NanoFab 150 FIB machine, using an Arsenic (As2+) ion source. A beam current of 5 pA at 90 keV accelerating energy is used. Several microchannel patternings are milled at various dwell times at pixel spacing of 14.5 nm on top of a 60 nm gold-coated silicon wafer. An analytical/numerical model is developed to predict the FIB milling behavior. By comparing with the experimental measurements, the model predictions have been demonstrated to be reliable for guiding and controlling the milling processes.
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