Nanomechanical Characterization in the FIB

摘要

The availability of the Focused Ion Beam (FIB) microscope with its excellent imaging resolution, depth of focus and ion milling capability have made it an appealing platform for materials characterization at the sub-micron, or "nano" level. The FIB has already become popular for the preparation of samples for TEM from bulk samples. Nano-mechanical characterization in the FIB is another extension of the FIB capabilities into the realm of nano-technology. A very important advantage of materials characterization in the FIB is the ability to image and even isolate small structures with the ion beam. In this way, the local mechanical properties of thin films or beams can be directly measured. Extrapolating mechanical properties of small structures from bulk property data is not always appropriate. Also, "edge effect" properties of thin films become more important as the surface to volume ratio increases. The ability to measure the mechanical response of tiny structures can be critical for rapid technology development. For example, in the integrated circuit industry, new materials challenges have been posed by the conversion to copper traces, low dielectric constant insulating layers and Pb-free solders. Rapid integration of these new materials requires accurate finite element modeling of material behavior, which depends on accurate thin film mechanical data of unfamiliar materials.