Atom probe tomography (APT) provides unique insights into materials at the atomic scale, but achieving reproducibility and reducing artefacts in specimens remains a key challenge. Conventional Ga-based FIB-SEM instruments often introduce artefacts such as implantation, diffusion, and amorphous surface layers, which can compromise the accuracy of compositional data.
Plasma FIB-SEM systems utilizing xenon (Xe) ions offer a pathway to mitigate these limitations by reducing ion–sample interactions and eliminating gallium-related contamination. Recent advances in beam shaping and resolution now enable the preparation of high-quality APT tips with improved reproducibility and throughput.
With the latest generation of plasma FIB technology implemented in the Tescan AMBER X 2, further refinements of beam parameters provide not only improved sample quality but also significantly simplified operation. These advances make plasma FIB workflows more intuitive and accessible, approaching the ease of use traditionally associated with Ga-based FIB-SEMs.
This webinar, organized in collaboration with The University of Sydney and CAMECA, will present the capabilities of the Tescan AMBER X 2 plasma FIB-SEM. The discussion will focus on recent methodological developments that enhance precision in APT sample preparation and demonstrate how these improvements address long-standing challenges in atom probe analysis.
Download the one-page summary here.
Webinar available on demand here.
Presenters:
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Felix Theska
Senior Technical Officer – Atom probe specimen preparation
Sydney Microscopy & Microanalysis (The University of Sydney)
As Senior Technical Officer at Sydney Microscopy & Microanalysis at The University of Sydney, Felix Theska is supporting researchers in the specimen preparation for atom probe tomography and transmission electron microscopy. In his career, he employed FIB-SEM tools equipped with Ga+, Xe+, and Ar+ columns as well as analytical capabilities, such as EDXS, EBSD, and TKD for site-specific specimen preparation of phase boundaries, grain boundaries, thin film multi-layer structures and nanoscale particles. Before his role at Sydney Microscopy & Microanalysis, Felix worked as Postdoctoral Fellow at The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, and Research Assistant at the University of Technology Ilmenau in Germany.
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Martin Sláma
Product Marketing Manager for FIB-SEM solutions in Materials Science
Tescan Group
Martin Sláma serves as a Product Marketing Manager for FIB-SEM 3D characterization and TEM lamella preparation in materials science, bringing over eight years of experience with FIB-SEM instruments. Throughout his career utilizing the FIB-SEM technique, he has primarily concentrated on both conventional and advanced TEM preparation methods using TESCAN's plasma FIB and Ga+ FIB-SEM solutions, alongside material characterization through FIB-SEM 3D tomography. Before joining TESCAN, Martin was involved in new material development and characterization at Brno Technological University, CEITEC, and Aston University.