High-resolution three-dimensional reconstruction: A combined scanning electron microscope and focused ion-beam approach

Abstract

The ability to obtain three-dimensional information has always been important to gain insight and understanding into material systems. Three-dimensional reconstruction often reveals information about the morphology and composition of a system that can otherwise be obscured or misinterpreted by two-dimensional images. In this article, we describe tomographic measurements with 10nm scale resolution, combining focused ion-beam processing with field-emission scanning electron microscopy to obtain a series of high-resolution two-dimensional cross-sectional images. The images were then concatenated in a computer and interpolated into three-dimensional space to assess and visualize the structure of the material. The results of this research demonstrate the use of tomographic reconstruction of Si–Si∕Ge and θ′ Al2Cu samples to reproduce the three-dimensional morphology with sub-10nm resolution.

Quantitative analysis on volcanic ash surfaces: Application of extended depth-of-field (focus) algorithm for light and scanning electron microscopy and 3D reconstruction

“…Thus, data describing volcanic ash need to be expressed quantitatively (Ersoy et al, 2006, in press). Three-dimensional reconstruction often reveals information about the morphology and composition of a system that can otherwise be obscured or misinterpreted by two-dimensional images (Bansal et al, 2006). Serial sectioning in conjunction with optical or electron microscopy has been shown to provide valuable threedimensional information (Bansal et al, 2006, and references cited therein).…”

“…Three-dimensional reconstruction often reveals information about the morphology and composition of a system that can otherwise be obscured or misinterpreted by two-dimensional images (Bansal et al, 2006). Serial sectioning in conjunction with optical or electron microscopy has been shown to provide valuable threedimensional information (Bansal et al, 2006, and references cited therein). This has traditionally been accomplished using mechanical polishing techniques to remove material, followed by surface imaging using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (Mangan et al, 1997) or a reflective optical microscope (Kral and Spanos, 1997).…”

Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of Porous LSCF Cathodes

“…5,6 This technology was brought forward to reconstruct 3D, geometrically complex submicrometer structures. [7][8][9][10][11] With the advent of 3D modeling software, nanotomography utilizing the dual-beam FIB/SEM technique was used to quantify nanoceramic suspended powders. [10][11][12] This technique was applied to SOFC cermet anodes to quantify microstructural properties such as porosity, triple-phase-boundary ͑TPB͒ length, and degree of anisotropy via tortuosity.…”

Nanomanufacturing—Perspective and applications

“…It typically involves repeated removal of material in thin slices using FIB and then imaging the freshly exposed material cross-section using an electron beam. With the advent of dual-beam FIB/SEM machines [13], this iterative serial sectioning and imaging procedure eliminates the need for specimen transfer between machines and enables automation of the entire process, thus drastically reducing the time and effort. Accurate 3D microstructural reconstruction by high-resolution FIB nanotomography primarily relies on obtaining high-quality cross-sectional images and accurately determining the slice thicknesses.…”