Analytical Tools

To replace its current FIB, OCAS recently purchased a state-of-the-art FIB/SEM system (SCIOS 2 from Thermofisher Scientific), which will be operational 2021Q4. Dual beam FIB/SEM systems incorporate focused ion beam (FIB) and scanning electron microscope (SEM).

In contrast to the sample preparation, the microscopy applications of the FIB/SEM dual beam can provide analytical information without the need for an additional technique. Main examples of microscopy applications are cross-sectioning and FIB/SEM tomography. These applications combined with information from our EDS system, incorporated into the dual beam, allow to obtain 3D-compositional information. Another aspect of FIB/SEM application is its micro machining, where the FIB/SEM system is used to create microscale structures or deposit conductive lines. FIB/SEM micro-machining can be used to create micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) which are micro-scale devices with moving parts. With improvement in FIB and SEM resolution a field of nano-machining is also emerging.

The FIB is mainly used for the site-specific material removal and SEM enables non-destructive imaging. The dual beams are multi-functional systems and can be used for sample preparation, microscopy applications and micro-machining. The most common sample preparation applications are TEM and APT specimen fabrication. Thanks to its high-resolution SEM column and STEM detector, our new instrument allows, site-specific sample preparation with high precision. It also enables automatic TEM sample preparation for high throughput applications.

Link to FIB tool specifications

Atom probe tomography is a unique materials’ characterisation technique, enabling both 3D-imaging and chemical compositional analysis at the atomic scale. OCAS has access to a Cameca LEAP 5000 XR APT through the Hercules foundation for large scale research infrastructure with a consortium of three Universities (Leuven, Hasselt and Ghent) since 2015. According to the manufacturer, the LEAP 5000 XR is the most capable atom probe across the widest variety of research and development applications.

During the past years, this APT supported OCAS with an advanced characterisation of precipitates, coatings, grain and phase boundaries. In many occasions the insight provided by APT, helped to adopt the production process to solve real life problems. The technique is well suited for analysis of nanoscale precipitates, revealing their volume fraction, morphology and composition. Hence, it allows to study the evolution of precipitates at different stages of thermal treatment. APT also can reveal nanoscale compositional variations and interfacial contamination in different coatings which can be crucial for their functionality. In addition, APT is the only technique to study the impurity segregation at grain and phase boundaries, which have significant impact on macroscopic properties of different materials including steels.

Link to APT specifications

 

Case studies:

Dedicated Sample Preparation

Grain Boundaries