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Large volume tomography using plasma FIB-SEM: A comprehensive case study on black silicon
Yu Zhang1, Charlie Kong2, Giuseppe Scardera1
1School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
Ultramicroscopy
|December 20, 2021
Summary
Optimizing sample preparation for xenon plasma focused ion beam and scanning electron microscopy (PFIB-SEM) is crucial for high-quality 3D nanomaterial imaging. This study presents optimized workflows for nanotextured black silicon, improving topographical accuracy.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Surface Science
Background:
- Conventional microscopy struggles with nanotextured black silicon (BSi) topography.
- Xenon plasma focused ion beam and scanning electron microscopy (PFIB-SEM) offers advanced 3D tomography capabilities for nanomaterials.
- Established optimal workflows for PFIB-SEM slice-and-view are lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the critical role of specimen preparation in PFIB-SEM 3D tomography.
- To explore and compare three distinct sampling configurations for PFIB-SEM.
- To determine the most effective workflow for imaging nanotextured black silicon.
Main Methods:
- Investigated three incrementally optimized sampling configurations for PFIB-SEM.
- Applied configurations to resin-embedded black silicon samples.
- Analyzed the impact of sample orientation and material rigidity on ion-beam interaction.
Main Results:
- Specimen preparation significantly impacts the quality of reconstructed 3D models.
- Reconstructed 3D models of BSi surface topography closely match SEM measurements.
- Extracted height distribution data revealed greater structure depth than AFM measurements.
- Observed differential sample-beam interactions between amorphous resin and crystalline silicon.
Conclusions:
- Optimized PFIB-SEM workflows enhance 3D imaging of challenging nanomaterials like BSi.
- Understanding sample-beam interactions is key for complex sample structures.
- This research advances the application of 3D PFIB-SEM for detailed nanomaterial analysis.
