Accurate location and marking of grain boundaries using focused ion and electron beams

We have investigated the 2 x 12 degrees symmetric grain boundary of (001) o riented bicrystalline silicon substrates for high-T-c superconductor applic ations using scanning focused ion beam (FIB) and electron beam (SEM). We su ccessfully used the focused ion beam to detect and to mark the grain bounda ry and hence, to increase the accuracy of positioning the Josephson device with respect to the grain boundary of the silicon substrate. Both imaging m ethods have been compared using channeling effects of focused ion and elect ron beams ill a dual beam system. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.