Quanta FIB Basic Training xT Microscope Control Central Analytical Facility The University of Alabama

Microscope Server and User Interface (UI) While the xT Server software should be open most of the time, to start it double click the icon Click the “Start UI” button Mouse over the microscope icon and select “Show tiny view” Do not click “Shutdown”, as this shuts down the entire system Log in to the FEI User interface: Name: support PW:feico95-001

Application Status Menu xT microscope Control Tool Bar Pages and Menus Data bar Image Windows Application Status Menu

Menu Bar – File & Detectors Open Save Save As Record Movie Digital files (AVI) of experiments Import STG files (stage positions) EPM files (End Point Monitor Graphs) Export Log Off (Do not use) Exit (Alt + X) List of detectors The system will detect when a detector has been added for ESEM work Unavailable detectors will be greyed out

Menu Bar - Scan Pause (F6) Snapshot Photo (F2) Videoscope (F3) Pauses the image Can be set in Preferences to: One Press – stops at the end of a frame; Two press – stops immediately One press – stop immediately Green “Pause” icon appears in upper left corner when image screen is paused Snapshot Single preset scan that pauses at the end Photo (F2) Single preset slow scan that pauses at the end with a prompt to save Videoscope (F3) Histogram displaying intensity along horizontal scan line Reduced Area (F7) Opens a small area with a faster raster speed, good for focus and stigmation Full frame (default mode) Spot Switches scan off and places a green cross on the image Line Displays a green line on the screen which the beam scans along External Switches to active external control (e.g. EDS program, usually automatic) Beam blank

Menu Bar - Scan Slow/Fast Scan Slower/Faster Scan Preset scan speeds Slower/Faster Scan Live Unfiltered direct image Average Continuous average of a specific number of frames Integrate Accumulates preset number of frames then pauses Note: Filters can be set for each display quadrant (e.g. live and filtered images can be displayed simultaneously) Scan rotation (Shift + F12)

Menu Bar – Beam, Patterning, and Stage Electron/Ion/Optical Selection changes the source of the active screen Coupled magnifications Couples the electron and ion beam imaging to the same Note: This is used in ion milling, a separate subject discussed in detail later Start Patterning Starts ion milling a selected pattern Reset Pattern Resets to the beginning of the patterning procedure xT Align Navigation aid for orientation in the horizontal or vertical Compucentric rotation Keeps a feature in the center of view with stage rotation Define User Units Dialogues for the user unit values for X and Y movements Offset Alignment Movement relative to existing alignments User Units Switch to defined user units Beam Shift Reset Zeros beam shift and moves the feature to the center of the image without stage movement ___________________ Home stage Link Z to FWD Sets Z to Free Working Distance Reference Position Establishes a reference position for all further points to refer to Tilt to 0º/52º Sets stage perpendicular to the electron beam/ion beam

Menu Bar – Tools, Window, and Help Auto Contrast Brightness (F9) Not available when using gaseous detectors Auto Focus (F11) Application Status Displays application status window Lab Notes Opens a Windows Notepad. Use Labnotes to enter all SEM filament changes FEI Movie Creator For collection of sequences images Center Cross Places a cross in the center of the screen Alignment rectangle Places a staggered rectangle in the screen CCD 15 mm Marker Places a 15 mm marker in the optical window Single/Quad Mode (F5) 1/2/3/4 Toggles the active window A PDF of the manual can be found here

Tool Bar The Tool Bar shares a number of duplicate functions with the menus, however not all icons are active in particular modes 1) Electron/Ion/IR source 2) Magnification 3) Accelerating Voltage 4) Current 5) Reduced area (F7) Very useful for focus and stigmation, as well as imaging with large ion beam currents 6) Degauss e-beam 7) Link Z to FWD 8) Auto contrast (F9) 9) Auto focus (F11) 10) Videoscope (F3) Note: Link Z, auto contrast, and auto focus require an active image

Tool Bar 11) Dwell time 12) Resolution 13) Beam blank 14) Snapshot 15) Pause 16) Live/Average/Integrate 17) Start/Pause patterning 18) Stop patterning 19) Record movie

Pages – Beam Control 1) Pages 2) Pump/Vent controls Beam control, Navigation, Patterning, Processing, and Adjustments Contain modules for different applications (e.g. Vacuum, System, Beam) Adjustments page is not used by standard users 2) Pump/Vent controls 3) Low vacuum and environmental mode 4) Wave up and sleep options for source Note: The ion source is only slept on weekends with no users to extend lifespan If only using the e-beam, there is no need to wake up the ion beam 5) Accelerating voltage and source status 6) Stigmator and beam shift Beam shift is very useful in situations where the stage cannot be moved (e.g. wedge lift out)

Pages - Navigation 1) Coordinate system 2) Current coordinates/input Actual – Current coordinates Target – Coordinates to move to Relative – Coordinates relative to actual 2) Current coordinates/input 3) Position list Store, update, or remove positions 4) Scan rotation For image rotation when stage rotation is not an option

Pages - Patterning 1) Pattern selection 2) Hide/Show, Trash patterns Different patterns for specific applications 2) Hide/Show, Trash patterns Hide and show the pattern overlay on the ion beam image 3) Pattern parameters Application is used to switch between Pt deposition and milling 4) Patterning progress For image rotation when stage rotation is not an option 5) Omniprobe insertion/removal 6) GIS injection Heat – Warms the GIS Check box inserts GIS Note: It is important to Link Z to FWD before inserting the Omniprobe or GIS. This not only confirms you’re at the proper working distance, but the GIS is also interlocked to where it will not insert without the link.

Pages - Measurement

Microscope Server and User Interface (UI)