Focused Ion Beam (FIB)

At Raw Science we are committed to investment in cutting edge technology. A recent addition to our already extensive range of facilities is an FEI DB 235 Dual Beam Focused Ion Beam system.

Focused Ion Beam (FIB) technology is used to effectively 'edit' integrated circuits at gate level. As the name suggests, a beam of Ions are focused onto individual transistors and junctions on the silicon wafer.

At the point of contact with the target the beam is less than 5 Nanometers in size. By controlling the power of the Ion stream and selecting various chemistries, the beam can be used to either cut or add traces to the circuit.

FIB is a very powerful tool for the reverse engineer allowing them to actually change the characteristics of the design. The DB 235 is a Dual Beam instrument that includes a Scanning Electron Microscope producing crystal clear images of semiconductors and optical disc surfaces at 300,000 X magnification.

Our Micrion 9500 Focused Ion Beam Mill further enhances our range of equipment enabling multiple procedures to be effected at any one time.