Technical specifications:
–Schottky thermal field-emission electron gun for high-resolution imaging
–Gallium ion source for milling, e.g. cantilevers for bend-testing, pillars for compression
–Large voltage range and probe current:
- Electron-beam: 200 V – 30 kV, 0.7 pA – 22 nA
- Ion-beam: 500 V – 30 kV, 0.1 pA – 65 nA
–High precision 5-axes motorised stage, including the ability to tilt from -10º to +60º
Array of micro-cantilever specimens in irradiated/unirradiated grain of Fe12%Cr
Using the FIB, large arrays of cantilevers can be milled into the surface of samples. These can then be tested using the nanoindenter to extract material properties such as Young’s modulus, fracture toughness and yield strength.
Fe lamella during thinning of four regions. Imaged using ion-beam
With precise ion-beam milling the FIB can be used to thin sections of samples down to electron transparency (~150 nm, depending on the material). They can then be transferred to a Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) for microstructural characterisation at resolutions reaching the atomic-scale.
