I-PREP^™

I-Prep is a unique Ion Beam SEM specimen preparation system, simplifying the preparation of demanding specimens, and maximizing the productivity and high spatial resolution performance of modern Field Emission SEMs.

Dedicated system, with vacuum transfer

I-Prep revolutionizes SEM specimen preparation by incorporating Gatan’s miniature argon ion guns (used in the successful Model 682 PECSTM) into a dedicated preparation system, directly mounted onto the SEM.

A simple, safe airlock loading mechanism allows sequential etching, polishing, or coating, and quick return to imaging the identical area, without exposure to air or moisture.
Vacuum transfer enhances both specimen preparation and microscope productivity, especially for low Vacc and high spatial resolution applications, as well as providing potential 3-D information by sequential etching / polishing treatments.

Clean vacuum, plus cooling

I-Prep also borrows from Gatan’s ALTO cryo-system, including an integral LN2 reservoir in the prep-chamber. The resultant clean vacuum improves the etching / polishing gun performance, and enables the highest possible resolution sputter coating performance.
The specimen on the rock-rotate platform can be actively cooled. This reduces the heating impact under high flux etching conditions, which can be problematic for some specimens.

Etched plan view metallization in VLSI circuit

Flexible milling and polishing

Gatan’s argon ion gun produces a broad beam, at a configurable energy between approximately 1.0 and 10keV. A higher keV at tilt angles close to normal provides a faster and more aggressive etch. A lower keV, at high tilt angles is used for polishing and more delicate treatments. The broad beam and rotating platform ensure wide area coverage and uniformity. This is a major benefit for some applications, either in plan view, or cross section, where extremely localized milling, for example using FIB, is unhelpful.

Ceramic temperature sensor, sequential etch / coat treatments

Delicate porous label specimen in cross section. Top image, thermal damage to specimen with no cooling. Bottom image, no damage through active cooling.

High spatial resolution and sequential Microanalysis

For X-ray microanalysis, CL studies, and for EBSD, I-Prep can ensure the removal of ‘dead’ surface layers.

Such high quality surface preparation allows high spatial resolution, low Vacc investigations.

Sequential etching of multi-layered structures is straightforward.
I-Prep opens doors to new EBSD studies of reactive specimens.

Bench-top control electronics

Enhanced results from FIB milling

FIB milling can be aggressive and cause very localized microstructural changes as well as deposition of unwanted gallium. An I-Prep fitted to a FIB chamber allows removal of material from a large area in a clean and gentle fashion, either before or after the FIB treatment.

SEM compatibility

I-Prep can be interfaced to most SEMs or FIBs and can be permanently installed i.e. will not compromise standard FE SEM imaging performance in its static mode. Most I-Prep operations allow normal microscopy studies to proceed uninterrupted.

Specifications

Preparation Chamber

Mounted on SEM port suitable for airlock loading.
Integral LN2 reservoirs for specimen cooling and/or cryopumping.
Rock-rotate stage with configurable active cooling.
Penning argon ion etching/polishing gun:
Beam diameter up to 1mm FWHM, ion current density 10mA/cm² peak.
Penning argon ion sputter coating gun:
~0.25A/sec for carbon, ~0.75A/sec for chromium at 10keV.
Coating area uniform over 25mm diameter.
Single insertable target holder with dual, externally selectable positions for 2 different sputter coating materials. Standard Targets Cr and C.
Needle valve control of argon flow for gun operation and purging.
Integral bright white LED view light and shutter.
Motor driven barrel shutter for specimen protection and current measurement.
Ion current measurement of etch / sputter guns.
Specimen parking positions.

Vacuum and Load Lock Technology

Dry pumping system.
Water-cooled 70l/sec turbo molecular drag pump (water chiller not included).
Low noise/vibration diaphragm pump with vacuum reservoir (allows intermittent use).
Foreline pressure gauge, and cold cathode specimen chamber gauge.
Pneumatic gate valve between load-lock and prep chamber. Pumping to open in less than 1minute.
Manual ball valve with X-ray and vacuum safety interlocks between prep chamber and SEM.
Transfer rod with “easy-connect” bayonet.
2 x Dovetail specimen holders.
1. Configurable 25mm diameter circular table height to allow eucentric tilt. Can also be configured to . accept commonly used SEM stubs.
2. Cross section specimen holder.
. Dovetail specimen acceptance mount on SEM stage.

Control Electronics

Bench-top controller, with dual backlit LCDs. For control / display of tilt angle, rocking speed, rotate speed, exchange and on-axis rotate angles, gun currents, gun HT, foreline vacuum and turbo pump speed and rocking platform temperature.
Digital menu for etching and coating experiments, and gun purge operations. Audible signal and flashing LED shows end of operation.
Gas over-ride option to monitor residual gun currents for purge quality.
Floor mounted unit contains supply electronics and pump controllers.

Options

Mini vice specimen holder.
Heater and digital temperature controller for rocking stage.
Additional targets. Pt, Au/Pd, Ir, Ta, Ti, Au, Al203
2nd replacement target assembly.

Utilities

Power requirements: Universal voltage, 100VAC – 240VAC, 50/60Hz.
Power consumption: 200W during operation.
Gas requirements: High purity Argon gas (99.998%) with regulator, 2-4 bar.