The new plasma-FIB dual-beam technology incorporated on this tool has higher current capabilities, when compared to a gallium tool. This allows for rapid milling through a wide array of materials: streamlining analytical processes such as cross-sectioning large-volume specimens.
The numerous applications of the FIB system can be readily expanded on the pFIB. In addition, its enhanced milling capability and multiple ion species open up entirely new application spaces. The tool is particularly well suited for the characterization of metals, composites, coatings, and mineral samples, and has shown substantial promise in biological and organic materials characterization, which could be difficult to characterize in traditional FIB systems.
Researchers at CAMCOR have begun documenting applications of the Hydra’s various ion beam sources. The initial results are compiled in an online database and can serve as a look-up table for researchers who are interested in selecting the ideal ion source and beam energy for specific materials of interest. We invite the FIB community to collaborate on this project and use the iFast script to share results from different combinations of substrates, energies, and ion species to the database.