Thermo Scios2 Dual-Beam SEM/FIB

Features:

• Schottky Field Emission Cathode and NICol ultra-high resolution (UHR) electron column with non-immersion mode.
• Excellent performance on a wide range of samples, including magnetic and non-conductive materials with SEM resolution: 1 nm at 30 kV and 1.6 nm@1 kV
• A variety of integrated in-column and below-the-lens detectors. With its in-lens Trinity™ detection technology, the system is designed for simultaneous acquisition of angular and energy-selective SE and BSE imaging.
• Beam deceleration mode imaging with landing energies to as low as 20 eV
• The Sidewinder HT ion column provides high-resolution imaging and milling at high voltages, but also has good low-voltage performance (to 500 V), enabling the creation of high-quality TEM lamella. Beam currents up to 65 nA for rapid milling.  Resolution down to 7.0 nm at 1.5 pA @ 30 kV.
• High-performance ion conversion and electron (ICE) detector for secondary ions (SI) and electrons (SE)
• Artifact-free imaging and patterning with dedicated modes such as SmartScan™ (256 frame average or integration, line integration and averaging, interlaced scanning), Drift Compensated Frame Integration (DCFI), and Drift Suppression.
• FIB charge neutralizer (low energy electron flood source) for milling non-conductors
• Platinum and Carbon deposition Gas Injection Systems for EBID and IBID
• EasyLift™ in-situ nano-manipulator (<50 nm / min drift and <+/-150 nm Omnidirectional repeatability)
• Flexible 5-axis motorized stage:
• XY range: 110 mm, Z range: 65 mm, Rotation: 360° (endless), Tilt range: -15° to +90°,  XY repeatability: 3 μm, Max sample height: Clearance 85 mm to eucentric point, Max sample weight at 0° tilt: 2 kg (including sample holder), Max sample size: 110 mm with full rotation
• IR camera for viewing sample and chamber and In-chamber Nav-Cam.
• A high-resolution, 16-bit digital patterning engine capable of Simultaneous Pattern and Imaging (iSPI™)
• User guidance available, making it easy for novice users to be productive quickly. In addition, features such as “undo” and “redo” encourage greater experimentation with peace of mind.

This instrument also includes capabilities for in-situ electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis combined with FIB processing and imaging. The EDAX TEAM™ EBSD analysis system provides state-of-the-art crystal structure characterization with the following features:

• Hikari Super EBSD detector allows high-speed data collection at rates up to 1,400 indexed points per second with 99% indexing success rates
• Neighbor Pattern Averaging & Reindexing (NPAR™) allows operation at higher noise levels than conventional indexing, therefore a faster collection rate at lower beam currents.

EDS detector upgrade

A new silicon-drift energy-dispersive detector (EDS), the EDAX-Ametek Octane Elite Super with a 70 mm² window, has been added to our Thermo Scios2 dual-beam FIB system. It complements the EDAX Hikari Super EBSD detector, adding unique, correlated chemical and structural analyzes over large regions of interest with unprecedented spatial resolution. This upgrade was funded by the 2022 Grainger College of Engineering Small Equipment program with 10% cost match from faculty (Charpagne, Braun and Zahirisabzevar) from the Materials Science and Engineering Department in addition to the MRL facilities.

Some key features of the EDAX Octane Elite Super EDS detector:

• Silicon-drift detector (SDD) technology allowing ~ 20 times faster data collection than corresponding detectors using previous Si(Li) technology.
• Increased spectral resolution enables detection of light elements, with guaranteed resolution of 48eV for C K-alpha. Energy resolution 125 eV at Mn K-alpha. Detection range: Al L (73 eV) to Am. Al L to Al K peak height ratio of 1:1 at 2.5 kV.
• 70 mm² silicon nitride window offering improvements in low energy sensitivity for light element detection and low kV analysis. Cooling system: Peltier.
• The advanced processing software can correct for both sample motion and beam drift. Patented Fast Phase Mapping routine, materials library, diagnosis, acquisition and data management.

These capabilities to the detector allow to probe large sample areas with high resolution and map beam-sensitive materials requiring low electron energies.

(Images from EDAX-Ametek).