The LaserFIB: new application opportunities combining a high-performance FIB-SEM with femtosecond laser processing in an integrated second chamber

Abstract

The development of the femtosecond laser (fs laser) with its ability to provide extremely rapid athermal ablation of materials has initiated a renaissance in materials science. Sample milling rates for the fs laser are orders of magnitude greater than that of traditional focused ion beam (FIB) sources currently used. In combination with minimal surface post-processing requirements, this technology is proving to be a game changer for materials research. The development of a femtosecond laser attached to a focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (LaserFIB) enables numerous new capabilities, including access to deeply buried structures as well as the production of extremely large trenches, cross sections, pillars and TEM H-bars, all while preserving microstructure and avoiding or reducing FIB polishing. Several high impact applications are now possible due to this technology in the fields of crystallography, electronics, mechanical engineering, battery research and materials sample preparation. This review article summarizes the current opportunities for this new technology focusing on the materials science megatrends of engineering materials, energy materials and electronics.

Methods to expose subsurface objects of interest identified from 3D imaging: The intermediate sample preparation stage in the correlative microscopy workflow

“…Recently, there has been an integration of femtosecond lasers/LaserFIB with FIB-SEMs. 24 These allow for larger areas of sample material to be milled/ablated in a shorter time compared with more traditional Ga FIB-SEM or even Plasma FIB systems. In ZEISS systems, the laser unit exists as a secondary attached chamber to the FIB-SEM chamber, allowing for correlation and reduction of contamination/detector damage in the main vacuum chamber.…”

Laser‐based sample preparation for high‐resolution X‐ray‐computed tomography of glasses and glass ceramics

“…The combination of scanning electron microscopy and laser micromachining in a serial sectioning process where material is removed layer by layer, such that at each slice of the surface can be analysed using the electron beam is currently a main application. 22,23,24,25 However, milling rectangular trenches via expensive ultra-short pulsed lasers does not exploit the full potential of laser micromachining. In fact, novel workflows tailored to the…”

A Perspective to Control Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structure Formation at Glancing-Incident Femtosecond Laser-Processed Surfaces

“…1 Systems for material processing, regarding precise ablation, in combination with analytical techniques, enable a localized analysis of materials with high resolution and accuracy. 2 Notably, even systems without builtin analytical devices, 3 find application due to the high material removal rates in comparison to alternative techniques, e.g., focused ion beam (FIB) milling, 4,5 making them beneficial for small-scale preparation tasks.…”