The fairly recent availability of commercial focused ion beam (FIB) microscopes has led to rapid development of their applications for materials science. FIB instruments have both imaging and micromachining capabilities at the nanometer–micrometer scale; thus, a broad range of fundamental studies and technological applications have been enhanced or made possible with FIB technology. This introductory article covers the basic FIB instrument and the fundamentals of ion–solid interactions that lead to the many unique FIB capabilities as well as some of the unwanted artifacts associated with FIB instruments. The four topical articles following this introduction give overviews of specific applications of the FIB in materials science, focusing on its particular strengths as a tool for characterization and transmission electron microscopy sample preparation, as well as its potential for ion beam fabrication and prototyping.

One of the most important applications of a focused ion beam (FIB) workstation is preparing samples for transmission electron microscope (TEM) investigation. Samples must be uniformly thin to enable the analyzing beam of electrons to penetrate. The FIB enables not only the preparation of large, uniformly thick, sitespecific samples, but also the fabrication of lamellae used for TEM samples from composite samples consisting of inorganic and organic materials with very different properties. This article gives an overview of the variety of techniques that have been developed to prepare the final TEM specimen. The strengths of these methods as well as the problems, such as FIB-induced damage and Ga contamination, are illustrated with examples. Most recently, FIB-thinned lamellae were used to improve the spatial resolution of electron backscatter diffraction and energy-dispersive x-ray mapping. Examples are presented to illustrate the capabilities, difficulties, and future potential of FIB.

This article reviews recent developments and applications of focused ion beam (FIB) microscopes for three-dimensional (3D) materials characterization at the microscale through destructive serial sectioning experiments. Precise ion milling—in combination with electron-optic—based imaging and surface analysis methods—can be used to iteratively section through metals, ceramics, polymers, and electronic or biological materials to reveal the true size, shape, and distribution of microstructural features. Importantly, FIB tomographic experiments cover a critical size-scale gap that cannot be obtained with other instrumentation. The experiments encompass material volumes that are typically larger than 1000 μm3, with voxel dimensions approaching tens of nanometers, and can contain structural, chemical, and crystallographic information. This article describes the current state of the art of this experimental methodology and provides examples of specific applications to 3D materials characterization.

This article discusses applications of focused ion beam micro- and nanofabrication. Emphasis is placed on illustrating the versatility of focused ion beam and dual-platform systems and how they complement conventional processing techniques. The article is divided into four parts: maskless milling, ion beam lithography, ion implantation, and techniques such as in situ micromanipulation.

This article considers the fundamentals of what happens in a solid when it is impacted by a medium-energy gallium ion. The study of the ion/sample interaction at the nanometer scale is applicable to most focused ion beam (FIB)–based work even if the FIB/sample interaction is only a step in the process, for example, micromachining or microelectronics device processing. Whereas the objective in other articles in this issue is to use the FIB tool to characterize a material or to machine a device or transmission electron microscopy sample, the goal of the FIB in this article is to have the FIB/sample interaction itself become the product. To that end, the FIB/sample interaction is considered in three categories according to geometry: below, at, and above the surface. First, the FIB ions can penetrate the top atom layer(s) and interact below the surface. Ion implantation and ion damage on flat surfaces have been comprehensively examined; however, FIB applications require the further investigation of high doses in three-dimensional profiles. Second, the ions can interact at the surface, where a morphological instability can lead to ripples and surface self-organization, which can depend on boundary conditions for site-specific and compound FIB processing. Third, the FIB may interact above the surface (and/or produce secondary particles that interact above the surface). Such ion beam–assisted deposition, FIB–CVD (chemical vapor deposition), offers an elaborate complexity in three dimensions with an FIB using a gas injection system. At the nanometer scale, these three regimes—below, at, and above the surface—can require an interdependent understanding to be judiciously controlled by the FIB.

The development of smart nanotextiles has the potential to revolutionize the functionality of our clothing and the fabrics in our surroundings. Nanoscale manipulation results in new functionalities for intelligent textiles, including self-cleaning, sensing, actuating, and communicating. This is made possible by such developments as new materials, fibers, and finishings; inherently conducting polymers; carbon nanotubes; and antimicrobial nanocoatings. These additional functionalities have numerous applications, encompassing healthcare, sports, military applications, and fashion. The wearer and the surrounding environment may be monitored in an innocuous manner, giving continuous updates of individual health status or environmental hazards. More generally, smart textiles become a critical part of the emerging area of body sensor networks incorporating sensing, actuation, control, and wireless data transmission. This article reviews current research in nanotechnology application to textiles, from fiber manipulation and development to end uses of smart nanotextiles.