SBIR Phase I: Novel Ion Source for Enhanced Focused Ion Beam Material Removal at the Nano, Micro and Macro-Scales

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I research project will investigate the feasibility of increasing the spectral brightness of a plasma ion source by miniaturizing the plasma size and improving the energy transfer to the source with a poly-phase RF antenna. This new ion source will extend the range of focused ion beam machining tools from the nano-scale where today?s focused ion beams (FIBs) are practically used, to the micro-scale and macro-scale. FIB tools are used for nanometer scale precision material removal. The benefits of FIB tools include nanoscale beam placement accuracy, a combined imaging and patterning system for accurate part registration and pattern placement, and low structural damage of the area surrounding the removed volume. The development of this new ion source would have a broad impact in enabling FIB systems to remove material at the nano, micro, and macro scales with material removal rates that are suitable to the different length scales. The broader impact/commercial potential from the technology will be a new ion source that would have a broad impact in enabling FIB systems to remove material at the nano, micro, and macro scales with material removal rates that are suitable to the different length scales. This technology would also have a broad impact in other areas that use ion sources such as secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) instruments and ion accelerators for high energy physics. The new source could be used to improve SIMS imaging resolution to the theoretical limit of approximately 10 nano-meters.