Welcome to Omniprobe's FIB and SEM Blog
Posted on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 @ 03:52 PM
by Cheryl Hartfield
Welcome! Omniprobe's blog updates those interested in ion and electron microscopy technology, processes and imaging with valuable information, such as industry "state of the art" technology advances, methods and solutions, as well as related news and events. We promote an open forum and discussion. Participate by signing up for our RSS feed and contributing comments.
As a provider of solutions to expand capabilities of SEM and FIB instruments, we find ourselves in an exciting and dynamic industry. Technology innovations are expanding research and new discoveries at a rapid pace....at such a rate, it can be difficult to keep up with the information that can impact processes and results that are important to your research and analyses. Here are just a few examples of recent developments:
1) Biologists are implementing FIB and SEM techniques for insights that formerly required TEM inspection. As Roger Wepf presented at MC2009 in Graz, Austria..."SEM is the future".
(Image Source: Dr. Chris Gilpin, UT Southwestern, unpublished data)
Although this image of a cardiac muscle cell was acquired in a FIB-SEM instrument, it looks remarkably like a TEM-acquired image. Imaging was performed with the "through the lens" detector of an FEI Helios dual beam FIB after slicing with the ion beam. Within this cardiac muscle cell, mitochondria with clear cristae and contractile filaments are visible. Recent publications highlighting biological applications using FIB and SEM rather than TEM to investigate the ultrastructure of sectioned (or milled) specimens include:
- Felts, R. L., K. Narayan, et al. (2010). "3D visualization of HIV transfer at the virological synapse between dendritic cells and T cells." PNAS 107(30): 13336-13341.
- Angel Merchán-Pérez, J.-R. Rodriguez, et al. (2009). "Counting Synapses Using FIB/SEM Microscopy: A True Revolution for Ultrastructural Volume Reconstruction." Frontiers in Neuroanatomy 3(18): 1-14.
- Armer, H. E. J., G. Mariggi, et al. (2009). "Imaging Transient Blood Vessel Fusion Events in Zebrafish by Correlative Volume Electron Microscopy." PLoS ONE 4(11): e7716
- Knott, G., H. Marchman, et al. (2008). "Serial Section Scanning Electron Microscopy of Adult Brain Tissue Using Focused Ion Beam Milling." J. Neurosci. 28(12): 2959-2964
- Helmstaedter, M., K. L. Briggman, et al. (2008). "3D structural imaging of the brain with photons and electrons." Current Opinion in Neurobiology 18: 633-641.
2) Semiconductor researchers are building devices using sub-10nm nanowires to surpass the dimensional limits of traditional processing. Such development requires "double cross section" analysis, which is achieved using in situ lift-out methods.
(Image Source: Lynne Gignac, IBM)
- L.M. Gignac, S. Mittal, et al. (2010). "Multiple Double XTEM Sample Preparation of Sub-10 nm Diameter Si Nanowires." Microsc. Microanal. 16 Suppl 2 : 168-169.
3) Atomic layer deposition can be performed in a FIB or SEM. This enables researchers to develop new materials and processes faster by providing rapid feedback, as the process can be visualized in situ with appropriate detectors.
(A 10nm ALD coating of aluminum oxide on a SWCNT bundle.)
- Principe, E., C. Hartfield, et al. (2009). Atomic Layer Deposition and Vapor Deposited SAMS in a CrossBeam FIB-SEM Platform: A Path To Advanced Materials Synthesis. Microscopy Today. 17: 18-25.
The above are only a few examples of recent developments. Future posts will continue to cover a variety of interesting topics as well as provide tips for performing better analysis. Thanks for visiting!