Education

Demonstration by Mr. Owen Mills in the FIB Laboratory

Students visit the Hitachi FB-2000A FIB lab.

Owen Mills, Electron Optics Engineer and manager of the FIB and FE-SEM labs, talks about sample loading.

Close-up of the FIB microscope sample holder.

Students participate in small groups, along with Associate Professor of Physics Dr. John Jaszczak.

The Hitachi FB-2000A FIB uses a beam of focused high-energy (30kV) Gallium ions both for imaging and for milling specimens.

Line patterning functions are carried out using the fabrication capabilities or the FIB. The FIB fabrication software facilitates rudimentary CAD drawing or importing of files.

Owen mills demonstrates image optimization techniques.

Imaging software window.

Demonstration by Dr. John Jaszczak in the FE-SEM Laboratory

Bags of sample holders in the Hitachi S-4700 FE-SEM lab.

Dr. John Jasczak talks about the carbon nanotube sample provided by Dr. Yoke Khin Yap.

The sample is placed in the microscope.

The scanning electron microscope detects secondary and backscattered electrons, as well as characteristic x-rays.

Students are holding assessment questionnaires for testing their knowledge about nanotechnology.

Two different secondary imaging detectors can be used.

Dr. Jaszczak uses Windows-based software for tuning the focus and magnification.

The specimen is a field of carbon nanotubes.

Students become interested watching real-time zooms through several orders of magnitude in scale.

Research methodology and instrumentation are demonstrated when studying features of fabricated or natural materials.

A student gets a hands-on lesson in controlling the microscope.

Carbon nanotubes with metal catalyst tips, magnification 110000, emission current 9500 nA, working distance 10100 microns.

Same sample, magnification 20000, emission current 9500 nA, working distance 10100 microns.

Same sample, magnification 8000, emission current 11000 nA, working distance 10000 microns.