Ion Milling
Ion Milling - Related Videos
08:57
Focussed Ion Beam Milling and Scanning Electron Microscopy of Brain Tissue
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Cited by 105 •
2011
This protocol describes how resin embedded brain tissue can be prepared and imaged in the three dimensions in the focussed ion beam, scanning electron microscope.
08:29
Workflow Using a Cryogenic Coincident Fluorescence, Electron, and Ion Beam Microscope for Targeted Milling of Cells
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Cited by 2 •
2025
This workflow enables lamella production targeting fluorescently labeled biological structures that are small (<1 μm in axial extent) and rare (1 copy per cell) using a cryogenic tri-coincident imaging platform. This platform integrates fluorescence microscopy, focused ion beam milling, and scanning electron microscopy at a single focal position and enables simultaneous fluorescence microscopy while milling.
09:30
Focused Ion Beams
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2023
Source: Sina Shahbazmohamadi and Peiman Shahbeigi-Roodposhti-Roodposhti, School of Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT As electron microscopes become more complex and widely used in research labs, it becomes more of a necessity to introduce their capabilities. Focused ion beam (FIB) is an instrument that can be employed in order to fabricate, trim, analyze and characterize materials on mico- and nano-scales in a wide variety of fields from nano-electronics to medicine. FIB...
08:20
Sample Preparation by 3D-Correlative Focused Ion Beam Milling for High-Resolution Cryo-Electron Tomography
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Cited by 17 •
2021
Here, we present a pipeline for 3D-correlative focused ion beam milling on guiding the preparation of cellular samples for cryo-electron tomography. The 3D position of fluorescently tagged proteins of interest is first determined by cryo-fluorescence microscopy, and then targeted for milling. The protocol is suitable for mammalian, yeast, and bacterial cells.
08:10
Precision Milling of Carbon Nanotube Forests Using Low Pressure Scanning Electron Microscopy
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2017
Low pressure scanning electron microscopy in a water vapor ambient is used to machine nanoscale to microscale features in carbon nanotube forests.
FAQs
Removal depends on the ion beam's energy, incidence angle, and exposure time. These variables are adjusted to control both the removal rate and the resulting surface profile. In engineering work, controlling them allows researchers to move beyond simple surface cleaning and produce carefully prepared cross sections, polished regions, or defined features for later analysis and fabrication.
Ion milling takes place in a vacuum so an ion beam can strike the target surface under controlled conditions. Argon ions are commonly used because the process relies on their momentum transfer to surface atoms. When the ions impact the material, they eject atoms through sputtering, producing the intended material removal without requiring direct mechanical contact.
The beam angle influences the surface profile produced during sputtering. By changing the angle along with beam energy and exposure time, engineers can control how material is removed from different parts of a target. This adjustment is important when preparing cross sections, polishing surfaces, or creating controlled features at micro- and nanoscale dimensions.
A typical procedure places the solid target in a vacuum system, directs an ion beam toward its surface, and maintains the selected beam conditions for a defined exposure time. The beam removes material by sputtering, after which the prepared surface or feature can be examined or used in a subsequent fabrication step, such as microscopy or device processing.
Engineering applications include cross-section preparation, thin-film patterning, surface cleaning, and fabrication of micro- and nanoscale devices. The same technique can shape or polish solid surfaces while limiting mechanical damage. These capabilities make it useful when a sample must be prepared for detailed examination or when a small, controlled feature is required in a material or device.
Ion milling complements lithography, microscopy, and semiconductor manufacturing by providing controlled surface removal and preparation. Lithography can define patterns, while milling can remove material from selected regions; microscopy can then examine the resulting structures or cross sections. In materials research, this combination helps connect engineered surface features with their observed structure and condition.