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Cornell University

Cornell Center for Materials Research

New Instrument Alert: Xeus is up and running!

July 7, 2026
News
Via notch high magnification

New Instrument Alert: Xeus is up and running!

The Tescan Amber X Plasma FIB (PFIB) is in Physical Sciences Building (PSB), room B95. 

Via notch high magnification
A high-resolution image of vias.  Not only does Xenon mill faster than gallium, but, unlike gallium, it leaves no traces of Xenon in the sample. Vias are electrical contacts between different metal layers in an integrated circuit.  Vias are becoming increasingly small and more complex all the time.  The ability to quickly produce these high-resolution images is very important, and this capability is where the PFIB shines.

The main contact for this instrument is Phil Carubia (pmc228@cornell.edu), and the secondary contact is Malcolm (Mick) Thomas (mt57@cornell.edu). 

Xeus is a highly sophisticated instrument that contains these capabilities: 

  • High throughput, large area FIB processing up to 100 microns
  • Ga-free sample preparation
  • Cryogenic sample stage and prep station. 
  • Ultra-high resolution, field-free FEG-SEM imaging and analysis
  • In-lens SE and BSE detection
  • FIB-SEM tomography
  • Large field of view for easy navigation

The PFIB is ideal for Ga-free STEM sample prep at both ambient and cryogenic temperatures.  The heavy Xe+ ions efficiently remove material allowing for lager area milling than comparable Ga+ ions. In addition to STEM sample prep, the PFIB can be used to modify mirco-circuits through trace cutting and writing; tomographic reconstructions can be made through serial milling and imaging; viewing of Biological samples in their native state using the cryogenic prep station and air free transfer; reverse engineering through cross sectioning and analysis.  In addition, we are expecting elemental analysis capability via EDX spectroscopy to be installed by November 2026.