Design and realization of a very high-resolution FIB nanofabrication instrument

In this work we detail the design and the implementation of a very high-res olution FIB nanofabrication instrument able to deliver a 10 nm ion probe (i ons Ga+, 30 keV). Some experimental results are presented, showing that a 1 0 nm experimental resolution can be obtained. Nanolithography on an inorgan ic resist AlF3 and nanoetching on thin SiC membranes are achieved at a 10 n m length scale. We try to demonstrate that the FIB nanofabrication capabili ties can be improved by increasing the extraction voltage of the LMIS thus leading to a significant increase of the axial angular intensity, allowing to produce FIB nanoetched structures with an ultimate resolution of 8 nm, w ith an excellent reproducibility and homogeneity. The authors also present the limit they have encountered when operating a LMIS under an extremely hi gh extraction voltage (17.5 kV) and for low emission currents. Finally, the performances of this high-resolution FIB nanofabrication instrument are co mpared with those of existing others nanofabrication methods. (C) 1999 Else vier Science B.V. All rights reserved.