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Tomography of insulating biological and geological materials using focused ion beam (FIB) sectioning and low‐kV BSE imaging
Author(s) -
WINTER D.A. MATTHIJS DE,
SCHNEIJDENBERG C.T.W.M.,
LEBBINK M.N.,
LICH B.,
VERKLEIJ A.J.,
DRURY M.R.,
HUMBEL B.M.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2818.2009.03139.x
Subject(s) - focused ion beam , materials science , tomography , scanning electron microscope , ion beam , characterization (materials science) , secondary electrons , beam (structure) , ion , ceramic , electron beam induced deposition , optics , electron , nanotechnology , scanning transmission electron microscopy , chemistry , composite material , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
Summary Tomography in a focused ion beam (FIB) scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a powerful method for the characterization of three‐dimensional micro‐ and nanostructures. Although this technique can be routinely applied to conducting materials, FIB–SEM tomography of many insulators, including biological, geological and ceramic samples, is often more difficult because of charging effects that disturb the serial sectioning using the ion beam or the imaging using the electron beam. Here, we show that automatic tomography of biological and geological samples can be achieved by serial sectioning with a focused ion beam and block‐face imaging using low‐kV backscattered electrons. In addition, a new ion milling geometry is used that reduces the effects of intensity gradients that are inherent in conventional geometry used for FIB–SEM tomography.