Carl Zeiss has introduced a new Gas Injection System for the ORION® Plus Helium Ion Microscope. The combination of a sub-nanometer (less than 0.35nm) probe of inert gas ions with a small interaction volume at the sample surface enables highly precise induction chemistries. The resulting structures have extremely small dimensions and high profile fidelity. This breakthrough technology is being unveiled at the M&M 2010 Conference in Portland, Oregon, August 1-5. 

Dr. Paul Alkemade at the Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, is one of the early researchers in helium ion-induced deposition and etching. According to Dr. Alkemade, "The optimum instrument for nanofabrication requires both high spatial resolution and high deposition efficiency. Fortunately, the Helium ion beam on the ORION Plus instrument provides resolution for deposition that is even better than that achieved by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). In addition, the Helium ion beam provides deposition efficiencies that are very similar to those achieved with a heavy ion (Ga) focused ion beam (FIB) instrument. With the integration of a Gas Injection System, the ORION Helium Ion Microscope is proving to be the right instrument for nanofabrication research." 

The controls for the Gas Injection System (GIS) are seamlessly integrated through the ORION Plus system software. The GIS unit contains three crucibles capable of delivering metal and insulator deposition and insulator etch chemistries. User programmable recipes can be created and recalled allowing for complex deposition and etch processes. The Gas Injection System on the Orion Plus creates a powerful and flexible platform enabling state-of-the-art nanofabrication applications.  

To learn more about this exciting development, please visit Carl Zeiss SMT at booth 1274 at the M&M 2010 Conference in Portland, Oregon, or contact your Carl Zeiss SMT sales representative.