Scanning Ion Microscopy: Nanocharacterization and Nanofabrication

Ga ion beam are nowadays routinely installed on high performance scanning electron microscopes with purpose of widening the investigation methods and for nanofabrication purposes. The ion beam sputter erosion coupled with the deposition capabilities by decomposition of a suitable precursor allow a wide spectrum of applications in several research fields. Local cross-sectioning, innovative specimen preparation methods are among the possibilities of a modern scanning electron microscope equipped with a scanning ion beam. This opens new potentialities in the microscopy analysis and characterization which will be addressed in this section.