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characterization  |  featured

Correlative imaging workflow available on SEM/FIB

Peng Li
2024-06-10
The nanoFAB is pleased to announce successful configuration and implementation of software solutions in our electron and ion microscopy, enabling large area imaging and correlative workflow.
A magnifying glass focuses on a textured surface with circular insets labeled AFM, SEM, TEM, and EDX, each showcasing unique patterns and colors. The intricate details highlight the power of correlative imaging to unravel complex structures.
characterization | featured

Electron & Ion Microscopy (SEM, FIB and TEM) provides morphological and compositional analysis with ultra high spatial resolution but lack of larger macroscopic context. It is also challenging to obtain analysis and observations with multiple sources from identical locations of the same devices/samples, in order to obtain comprehensive data.

Software solutions are now installed and commissioned in the following microscopes, providing large area imaging and correlative workflow:

ATLAS on Zeiss Sigma FESEM
ATLAS on Zeiss EVO SEM
MAPS on ThermoFisher Hydra Plasma FIB/SEM

These software packages enable automatic workflow of multi-scale (from cm to nm), multi-platform (optical, x-ray, electron and ion microscopy and spectroscopy) and multi-dimensional (2D, 3D and 4D) characterization. Please see the application examples below of how the workflow can provide correlative analysis by linking Optical, Raman, AFM, XRM, SEM, FIB, and TEM data.

ATLAS and MAPS software are now available for user training. If you are interested in utilizing the workflow for your material characterization, please submit a training request on LMACS. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Shihong Xu (shihongx@ualberta.ca), Josh Perkin (jperkins@ualberta.ca) or Peng Li (peng.li@ualberta.ca).

Application Examples

Sample: Porous Ni film
Application: Large area imaging for multi-scale analysis (Google Earth like images with high spatial resolution)
Instrument: Zeiss Sigma FESEM

A series of images seamlessly integrates correlative imaging to showcase a progressively zoomed view from a large object to a microscopic structure, transitioning from a satellite view of Earth to the intricate details of building layouts.
A series of images seamlessly integrates correlative imaging to showcase a progressively zoomed view from a large object to a microscopic structure, transitioning from a satellite view of Earth to the intricate details of building layouts.

Sample: Shale
Application: Multi-scale and correlative SEM/EDX/Raman analysis of elemental and mineral distribution
Instruments:
Zeiss EVO SEM with Oxford EDX
Renishaw inVia Confocal Raman

Sample: Mineral inclusions
Application: Multi-scale and correlative SEM/EDX/XRM/TEM analysis of mineral inclusions in magnetite-apatite deposits
This work is published in Geology (2024) 52 (6): 417–422

Instruments:
Zeiss Versa 620 X-Ray Microscope
ThermoFisher Hydra Plasma FIB/SEM
JEOL ARM S/TEM

Sample: Multi-layer AlGaAs thin film
Application: Correlative SEM/EDX/AFM/TEM analysis to characterize both surface and cross section morphology and composition
Instruments:
ThermoFisher Hydra Plasma FIB/SEM
Bruker Dimension Edge AFM
JEOL ARM S/TEM