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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Tin–Lead Liquid Metal Alloy Source for Focused Ion Beams

Focused Ion Beam (FIB) systems are increasingly utilized in nanotechnology for nanostructuring, surface modification, doping, and rapid prototyping. Recently, their potential for quantum applications has been explored, leveraging FIB’s direct-write capabilities for in situ single ion implantation, which is crucial for fabricating single photon emitters. Color centers in diamond can function as qubits and are of particular interest due to their capacity to store and transmit quantum information. While Group-IV color centers exhibit high brightness, they require low temperatures to retain coherence. However, lead-vacancy in diamond (PbV) operates at the higher end (4 K) of this temperature spectrum due to larger ground-state splitting, making them particularly interesting. In this context, our study presents results for lead (Pb)-containing alloys with eutectic points below 600 °C and results on using tantalum (Ta) and titanium (Ti) as emitter materials for a Pb liquid metal alloy ion source. We show that a standard FIB system is able to resolve the different Pb isotopes and achieve nanoscale spot sizes, as required for quantum information science applications.

color center↗
DOE OSTI2026

Thermoreflectance Detection of Point Defects Resulting from Focused Ion Beam Milling

Focused ion beam (FIB) milling is a commonly used tool for nanoscale material processing, such as for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) sample preparation, or the creation of fiducial markers prior to other processes and measurements. During milling, a high energy ion beam is used to remove material via sputtering. The expelled target material may return to the sample surface however, affecting subsequent measurements. Beam spreading or irradiation due to neutral gallium may also irradiate a larger area than intended. Extensive research has explored the effects of FIB milling on the prepared TEM sample, but few have looked at the effects of milling on the properties of the sample surrounding the milled region. We use multiple pump-probe laser-based techniques (time domain thermoreflectance and steady-state thermoreflectance) to measure the spatial extent of FIB-induced surface/subsurface changes on a series of silicon wafers milled at multiple currents and doses. We supplement these measurements with high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, stylus profilometry, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy. We find a sample surface affected by the FIB up to 1 mm from where milling occurred, with a notable dependence on the ion beam current. We also note remarkably high sensitivity to surface defects using the thermoreflectance metrologies, including detection where other measurements failed.

defects↗
DOE OSTI2025

On the role of self-generated magnetic fields in focused ion beams driven by intense picosecond laser pulses

We investigate the physics of ion beam focusing in the interaction of intense picosecond laser pulses with concave foils, using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. Curved targets have been observed to deliver brighter multi-MeV ion beams than flat targets, and they could be used to ignite pre-compressed ICF fusion capsules in a scheme called ion fast ignition. Focusing is achieved by shaping the target and relying on an ion acceleration mechanism in which the ions are accelerated normal to the target surface; subsequently, the plasma expansion grows magnetic fields that advect with the plasma and deflect ions away from the target symmetry axis, causing the focal spot to shift downstream from its geometric location. The drop in both electric and magnetic field strengths in the expanding plasma makes the ion beam envelope asymmetric with respect to the focusing plane.

Focused ion beam↗
DOE OSTI2026

Focused ion beam milling of polycrystalline diamond

Focused ion beam (FIB) technology has a large potential for precise milling of ultrahard materials such as diamond. However, studies of the sputtering of diamond with ion species and energies relevant to the FIB technology are scarce. Here, we report a systematic study of the sputtering of polycrystalline diamond surfaces with ion beams in a wide range of ion energies (2 - 30 keV), incident beam angles (0 - 80°), and ion masses (N, O, Ar, and Xe). Results show that the sputter yield is relatively insensitive to ion energy but strongly depends on the ion species and incident beam angles. Bombardment with O ions results in sputter yields that are significantly larger than ballistic predictions due to chemical etching effects. Characteristic surface ripples develop for oblique beam incidence angle irradiation. The critical beam tilt angle for the onset of ripple formation and the wavelength of the ripples depend on ion species and energies. Ripples appear to suppress ion reflection at high beam tilt angles and, hence, a peak in the sputter yield angular dependence. In conclusion, these results have direct implications for the development of process parameter maps for high-precision ion-beam milling of diamond.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2001

Fast prototyping of high-aspect ratio, high-resolution x-ray masks by gas-assisted focused ion beam

The capacity of chemically-assisted focused ion beam (fib) etching systems to undertake direct and highly anisotropic erosion of thin and thick gold (or other high atomic number [Z])coatings on x-ray mask membranes/substrates provides new levels of precision, flexibility, simplification and rapidity in the manufacture of mask absorber patterns, allowing the fast prototyping of high aspect ratio, high-resolution masks for deep x-ray lithography.

fast prototyping of high-aspect ratio high-resolut↗
DOE OSTI2026

New Directions in Focused Ion Beam Induced Deposition for the Nanoprinting of Functional 3D Heterostructures

The focused ion beam (FIB) microscope is well established as a high-resolution machining instrument capable of site-selectively removing material down to the nanoscale. Beyond subtractive processing, however, the FIB can also add material via a technique known as focused ion beam induced deposition (FIBID). Using FIBID, the FIB can thus be employed for the direct-write of complex nanostructures. This work explores new directions in three-dimensional FIBID nanoprinting, harnessing unique features of helium and neon FIBs. In particular, the superior spatial resolution of these novel FIBs is leveraged to fabricate precise multimaterial architectures, an isotope effect is used to create satellite deposits, and dose-controlled implantation of the gaseous ions is used to engineer internal voids. In the context of voids, the fabrication of hollow nanopillars by helium-FIBID due to concurrent milling (as shown previously by others) is revisited. Insight into the chemical and structural composition of the nanostructures is obtained using advanced electron microscopy, accurately revealing buried interfaces, crystallite distributions, chemical compositions, and material transformations. Next-generation devices and technologies that could be enabled by the novel heterostructures demonstrated here are discussed, setting the stage for the potential evolution of FIBID into a versatile platform for functional nanomaterials design and fabrication.

FIBID↗
DOE OSTI2026

Optical interference for the guidance of cryogenic focused ion beam milling beyond the axial diffraction limit

Cryogenic focused ion beam (Cryo-FIB) milling has become a standard step in the cryogenic electron tomography (Cryo-ET) workflow and is required to thin cells to electron-semitransparency. However, this destructive process removes the vast majority of the cellular material and raises a critical question: what thin section should be preserved for Cryo-ET analysis? Using a tri-coincident cryogenic FIB-SEM-LM system, we identify an interferometric optical response that can be used for targeting lamella production to fluorescently labeled structures with accuracy beyond the diffraction limit. Here we demonstrate this approach using synthetic samples of fluorescent beads embedded in micron-scale droplets of amorphous ice. We then apply the approach to capture virions inside host cells. Successful targeting is confirmed by Cryo-ET revealing clusters of virions in intracellular vesicles. The method does not require any fluorescent fiducials or axial registration and can be performed on any fluorescently labeled structure that is visible in widefield fluorescence microscopy.

Cryoelectron microscopy↗
DOE OSTI2026

Toward Automated Plasma Focus Ion Beam Instrument Calibration for Materials Processing [Poster]

To accelerate the transition to autonomous focused ion beam (FIB) microscopy, we require an objective figure of merit (FOM) for assessing calibration. For our purposes, these FOMs related to beam astigmatism, quad, and focus. Intelligent calibration integrated into scripted workflows will enable fully automated sample preparation workflows that produce higher quality samples with less operator time.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Plasma Focused Ion Beam Milling of High-Aspect-Ratio Holes in Diamond

Plasma focused ion beam (PFIB) technology has a great potential for applications requiring rapid micro-machining of high-aspect-ratio features. Here, we use 30-keV Ar, Xe, and O 2 ion beams to study PFIB milling of high-aspect-ratio circular holes in polycrystalline diamond. Our results show that Xe and O 2 ion beams have the highest milling efficiency for low-aspect-ratio and high-aspect-ratio hole milling, respectively. Each ion beam species produces holes with its characteristic shape and wall surface morphology. In conclusion, based on these results, we demonstrate a “hybrid” hole milled in a two-step process with Xe and O 2 ion beams with the geometry and wall morphology attractive for the attachment of a fuel fill tube to the inertial confinement fusion capsule.

ICF targets↗
NASA NTRS2015

Characterization of Meteorites by Focused Ion Beam Sectioning: Recent Applications to CAIs and Primitive Meteorite Matrices

Focused ion beam (FIB) sectioning has revolutionized preparation of meteorite samples for characterization by analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and other techniques. Although FIB is not "non-destructive" in the purest sense, each extracted section amounts to no more than nanograms (approximately 500 cubic microns) removed intact from locations precisely controlled by SEM imaging and analysis. Physical alteration of surrounding material by ion damage, fracture or sputter contamination effects is localized to within a few micrometers around the lift-out point. This leaves adjacent material intact for coordinate geochemical analysis by SIMS, microdrill extraction/TIMS and other techniques. After lift out, FIB sections can be quantitatively analyzed by electron microprobe prior to final thinning, synchrotron x-ray techniques, and by the full range of state-of-the-art analytical field-emission scanning transmission electron microscope (FE-STEM) techniques once thinning is complete. Multiple meteorite studies supported by FIB/FE-STEM are currently underway at NASA-JSC, including coordinated analysis of refractory phase assemblages in CAIs and fine-grained matrices in carbonaceous chondrites. FIB sectioning of CAIs has uncovered epitaxial and other overgrowth relations between corundum-hibonite-spinel consistent with hibonite preceding corundum and/or spinel in non-equilibrium condensation sequences at combinations of higher gas pressures, dust-gas enrichments or significant nebular transport. For all of these cases, the ability of FIB to allow for coordination with spatially-associated isotopic data by SIMS provides immense value for constraining the formation scenarios of the particular CAI assemblage. For carbonaceous chondrites matrix material, FIB has allowed us to obtain intact continuous sections of the immediate outer surface of Murchison (CM2) after it has been experimentally ion processed to simulate solar wind space weathering. The surface amorphization and loss of OH produced by the irradiation provides important clues regarding space weathering on primitive asteroids such as the OSIRIS-Rex target 101955 Bennu.

Christoffersen, Roy↗
NASA NTRS1989

DBR laser with nondynamic plasma grating formed by focused ion beam implanted dopants

A static plasma grating has been demonstrated experimentally (Wu et al., 1988) in a large-optical-cavity focused-ion-beam-distributed-Bragg-reflector (FIB-DBR) GaAlAs/GaAs laser diode. The grating is formed by implanting stripes of dopants with a focused ion beam. The dopants ionize to form periodic fluctuations in the carrier concentration which, through the Kramers-Kronig relations, form an index grating. A model of the grating strength for optimizaton of the laser design is developed and presented. The computed results show that the coupling coefficient k can be increased by more than an order of magnitude over the 15/cm experimentally. Therefore, FIB-DBR or FIB-distributed-feedback (DFB) lasers with performance comparable to that of conventional DBR (or DFB) lasers can be expected.

Boenke, Myra M.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Automation of Laser Plasma Focused Ion Beam Microscopy for Next-Gen Energy Materials

Automation can revolutionize the use of ultrafast laser ablation and plasma-focused ion beam (PFIB) techniques for high-throughput, reproducible cross-sectioning and various sample preparation in materials characterization. As these methods become essential for analyzing complex energy materials and next-generation devices, efficient, standardized workflows are needed to minimize variability and enhance precision. This work highlights our advancements in developing automated processes for sample preparation that integrates machine learning, workflow optimization, and large-scale data acquisition to improve efficiency and scalability in applications such as electrolyzers, photovoltaic cells, and microelectronics. To streamline cross-sectioning and lamella fabrication, we have implemented fully automated workflows that standardize laser ablation and PFIB milling sequences. These workflows incorporate pre-programmed protocols for material removal, alignment, and thinning, reducing user intervention and ensuring consistency across different sample types. Machine learning algorithms further enhance automation by predicting optimal milling strategies and adapting parameters based on material properties and sectioning requirements. This approach significantly improves throughput while maintaining the structural integrity of prepared samples for high-resolution imaging and analysis, including transmission electron microscopy. Beyond sample preparation, our automation platform enables the acquisition of large, high-resolution datasets through serial sectioning, image alignment, and 3D reconstruction. These automated routines facilitate multi-scale characterization, capturing structural and compositional details from the nanoscale to the device level. By reducing variability and increasing efficiency, our automated approach enhances defect analysis, failure diagnostics, and process optimization, accelerating advancements in materials research and device engineering.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1988

GaAs/GaAlAs distributed Bragg reflector laser with a focused ion beam, low dose dopant implanted grating

The performance of a GaAs/GaAlAs distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser using a focused ion beam implanted grating (FIB-DBR) is reported for the first time. Stripes of Si(2+) with a period of 2300 A and a dose about 10 to the 14th/sq cm are directly implanted into the passive large optical cavity layer to provide the distributed feedback. Surface-emitting light from the second-order grating is observed. Threshold current of 110 mA and single DBR mode operation from 20 to 40 C are obtained. The wavelength tuning rate with temperature is 0.8 A/C. The coupling coefficient is estimated to be 15/cm. The results show that FIB technology is practical for distributed feedback and DBR lasers and optoelectronic integrated circuits.

Wu, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Focused Ion Beam Recovery of Hypervelocity Impact Residue in Experimental Craters on Metallic Foils

The Stardust sample return capsule will return to Earth in January 2006 with primitive debris collected from Comet 81P/Wild-2 during the fly-by encounter in 2004. In addition to the cometary particles embedded in low-density silica aerogel, there will be microcraters preserved in the Al foils (1100 series; 100 micrometers thick) that are wrapped around the sample tray assembly. Soda lime spheres (approximately 49 m in diameter) have been accelerated with a light-gas-gun into flight-grade Al foils at 6.35 km s(sup -1) to simulate the potential capture of cometary debris. The preserved crater penetrations have been analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) to locate and characterize remnants of the projectile material remaining within the craters. In addition, ion beam induced secondary electron imaging has proven particularly useful in identifying areas within the craters that contain residue material. Finally, high-precision focused ion beam (FIB) milling has been used to isolate and then extract an individual melt residue droplet from the interior wall of an impact penetration. This enabled further detailed elemental characterization, free from the background contamination of the Al foil substrate. The ability to recover pure melt residues using FIB will significantly extend the interpretations of the residue chemistry preserved in the Al foils returned by Stardust.

Graham, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Focused Ion Beam Microscopy of ALH84001 Carbonate Disks

Our aim is to understand the mechanism(s) of formation of carbonate assemblages in ALH84001. A prerequisite is that a detailed characterization of the chemical and physical properties of the carbonate be established. We present here analyses by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of carbonate thin sections produced by both focused ion beam (FIB) sectioning and ultramicrotomy. Our results suggest that the formation of ALH84001 carbonate assemblages were produced by considerably more complex process(es) than simple aqueous precipitation followed by partial thermal decomposition as proposed by other investigators [e.g., 1-3].

Thomas-Keprta, Kathie L.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Focused Ion Beam Recovery and Analysis of Interplanetary Dust Particles (IDPs) and Stardust Analogues

Meteoritics research is a major beneficiary of recent developments in analytical instrumentation [1,2]. Integrated studies in which multiple analytical techniques are applied to the same specimen are providing new insight about the nature of IDPs [1]. Such studies are dependent on the ability to prepare specimens that can be analyzed in multiple instruments. Focused ion beam (FIB) microscopy has revolutionized specimen preparation in materials science [3]. Although FIB has successfully been used for a few IDP and meteorite studies [1,4-6], it has yet to be widely utilized in meteoritics. We are using FIB for integrated TEM/NanoSIMS/synchrotron infrared (IR) studies [1].

Graham, G. A.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Focused Ion Beam Tomography of Alloy 617 Corroded in Molten Chloride Salt

Materials qualification of reactor structural materials is a critical step in rapid implementation of advanced nuclear reactor technologies, particularly to assess the corrosion performance in these designs. Accelerated qualification of reactor structural materials requires incorporating powerful computational toolsets, such as phase field modelling in the Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) framework, to predict the evolution of structural materials due to corrosion. Accordingly, computational toolsets will require experimental data generated at appropriate length scales to validate accuracy. Focused ion beam (FIB) provides a high degree of control over manipulation of materials for analytical purposes, including capturing data on the evolution in the microstructure and elemental composition of materials at the mesoscale, an appropriate length scale for phase field modelling of intergranular diffusion phenomena using the MOOSE framework. For instance, the FEI Helios G4 UX dual beam plasma FIB microscope at the Irradiated Materials Characterization Laboratory (IMCL) is capable of backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) documenting the evolution in the microstructure and elemental composition, respectively. The Helios can perform EDS and EBSD three-dimensionally (3D) using tomography, which is then combined using different software packages to visualize 3D volumes correlating elemental composition to microstructural data. The purpose of this investigation was to develop a streamlined characterization and data processing workflow for 3D tomography studies on the FEI Helios G4 plasma FIB. The investigation is segmented into three parts: 1) Optimizing the data collection workflow, 2) identifying appropriate data processing and visualization software (i.e. DREAM.3D, MIPAR, and VGStudioMax), and 3) establishing an infrastructure for public release. The optimization of the data collection workflow is in collaboration with members of the U220 department to setup formal training on the tomography operation of the G4, through ThermoFisher Scientific, and exploring DREAM.3D, MIPAR, and VGStudioMax data processing/visualization software packages. VGStudioMax currently demonstrates the most promise for future use. Optimization of the data collection and processing workflow is still ongoing. A collaboration with INL High Performance Computing (HPC) established an open-source license for expediting the public release of FIB tomography datasets through HPC. FIB tomography data generated by the G4 will provide comprehensive data for validating 3D phase field mesoscale modelling tools within the MOOSE framework for accelerated qualification of reactor structural materials.

Copeland-Johnson, Trishelle↗
DOE OSTI2025

Impacts of Focused Ion Beam Processing on the Fabrication of Nanoscale Functionalized Probes

Herein, we examine the impact of Ga + ion kinetic energy and the target material type on the extent of ion implantation and structural damage in atomic force microscopy probes made of Al 2 O 3 and ZnO manufactured by focused ion beam (FIB) using scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray mapping. Penetration of Ga into the Al 2 O 3 lattice induced structural distortions and amorphization. For ZnO probes, Ga is uniformly dispersed across the surface, resulting in the formation of distinct clusters. Atom probe tomography further validates the Ga distributions in Al 2 O 3 and ZnO nanoprobes. Complementary Monte Carlo simulations with the transport of ions in the matter program indicated that the introduction of Ga + prompts the generation of cation and anion vacancies, an occurrence more pronounced in Al 2 O 3 compared to ZnO. In conclusion, this study not only enriches the knowledge of ion-matter interactions, but also serves as a practical guide for the fabrication of nanoscale functionalized AFM probes.

Al2O3↗