From Vision to Reality: An Exclusive Interview with Anne Delobbe on the Future of Plasma FIB Systems

From Vision to Reality: An Exclusive Interview with Anne Delobbe on the Future of Plasma FIB Systems

Anne Delobbe, an expert in ion beam technology, has significantly influenced innovation at ORSAY PHYSICS and TESCAN. With over two decades of experience, she brings profound understanding and vision to new projects and devices. Inspired by the visionary leadership of ORSAY PHYSICS founder Pierre Sudraud, Anne and her team have focused on applying plasma technology to focused ion beam (FIB) columns.

This expertise culminated in the launch of the AMBER X 2, a cutting-edge plasma FIB-SEM system setting new standards in materials science research. We bring you an interview with Anne discussing this development and more.

But before you dive into the interview, mark your calendars for our upcoming webinars! As part of the launch of TESCAN AMBER X 2, our most advanced FIB-SEM to date, we will share key knowledge about this latest tool. Here are the details:

Webinar Series Overview

Webinar #1: Introducing AMBER X 2 and AMBER 2 – New Generation FIB-SEMs for Speed, Utility, Precision

Date & Time: August 20th, 2024, at 9am and 5pm CEST

Host: Martin Sláma, Product Marketing Manager at TESCAN

Explore TESCAN’s journey in FIB-SEM innovation, the power of Mistral™ Plasma FIB, and real-world applications of AMBER X 2 and AMBER 2.

Webinar #2: FIB-SEM, Redefined – Experience Speed, Precision, and Utility in 3D Multimodal Characterization with AMBER X 2

Date & Time: August 22nd, 2024, at 9am and 5pm CEST

Host: Tomáš Šamořil, Product Marketing Manager at TESCAN

Master 3D multimodal characterization with insights into balancing data quality and volume, and strategies for faster analysis with minimal artifacts.

Webinar #3: New Generation of TESCAN TEM Lamella Automation TEM AutoPrep Pro™: Enhance Speed and Utility in Specimen Preparation with AMBER 2 and AMBER X2

Date & Time: September 3rd, 2024, at 9am and 5pm CEST

Host: Host: Martin Sláma, Product Marketing Manager at TESCAN.

Delve into high-throughput TEM sample preparation, automated workflows with TEM AutoPrep Pro™, and precise lamella geometries using the OptiLift™ nanomanipulator.

Webinar #4: Utility and Precision in Nanoprototyping with TESCAN AMBER 2: Your Gateway to Rapid Development of Novel Devices

Date & Time: September 5th, 2024, at 9am and 5pm CEST

Host: Milos Hrabovsky, Product Marketing Manager for Nanoprototyping at TESCAN

Unleash the potential of rapid device development with streamlined workflows, versatile sample preparation, and comprehensive analysis capabilities of AMBER 2.

An Exclusive Interview with Anne Delobbe on the Future of Plasma FIB Systems

How has your experience with ion beam technology influenced your approach to new projects at ORSAY PHYSICS?

Orsay Physics, founded in 1989, has consistently aimed to develop their advanced technology through innovative projects, both in ion sources and associated optics. I was fortunate that Pierre Sudraud, the company’s founder, instilled this spirit in me. Plasma technology adapted to focused ion beam columns (FIB) follows the same innovative path.

We embarked on this journey around 2011 and ORSAY PHYSICS were the first to introduce a dual beam with plasma  shortly before our merger with TESCAN. This technology has been evolving for over a decade, and we continuously innovate to offer even better products, not just in plasma source technology. I am confident that our new FIB SEM, which we are launching, will convincingly demonstrate this.

Was there a moment when you realized that plasma technology was advancing so rapidly that it could potentially disrupt the use of gallium?

As soon as we produced the first ion beams from the unique FIBSEM ECR plasma source, overcoming the expected technical challenges, we realized we were onto something significant: plasma technology could be a game-changer. Furthermore, the development of applications progressed very rapidly thanks to the knowledge we gained from working with gallium transferred to plasma. Not only are the currents achievable with the plasma source considerably higher, but in this current range, plasma also shows some performance advantages over gallium. This crossover point continues to move towards lower currents, suggesting that plasma FIB could eventually replace gallium.

What were the main challenges in developing plasma technology in the past?

Plasma technology was not yet used as a source for FIB until the early 2000s when it began to emerge for FIB applications. The technical challenge was to develop an ion source compact enough to be integrated into an ion column. Orsay Physics has the expertise to offer a compact, low-power ECR source that also has the advantage of not requiring the replacement of wearing parts.

Can you describe a specific project or achievement at ORSAY PHYSICS that you are particularly proud of?

One of my proudest moments was demonstrating our first FIB plasma to our customer. Initially, the source was large and bulky, capable of delivering just one microampere. Despite these limitations, our first customer, a major semiconductor company, trusted us to develop a compact and reliable system within a year. We succeeded, and Olivier Salord (plasma FIB project manager) and I were very proud to install the system in Canada and see it working perfectly.

What trends in plasma development do you find most promising for the future of ion beam technology?

Low-energy applications are becoming increasingly important. Initially, we were surprised by the high currents that plasma FIB could achieve – 2 or 3 microamperes or more, bridging the gap between gallium FIB and laser technology. The future lies in improving medium and low currents, not just high currents, enabling plasma FIB to surpass the scope of tasks traditionally performed with gallium. The aim is to cover low-energy, medium-current, and high-current requirements to have a complete range.

How do you see the role of ORSAY PHYSICS evolving in the next decade within the ion beam industry?

Given the variety of possible applications for ion beams, ranging from sample preparation to ion implantation or SIMS, a number of key parameters are essential: the type of ions accessible, their energy and the source characteristics, and the performance of the optics. We aim to develop brighter ion beam sources with a variety of ions, as different ions interact in specific ways with samples. We are already experienced with this on our UHV NanoSpace and QuiiN platforms. Additionally, we are focusing on improving the optics to reduce chromatic and spherical aberrations, thereby reducing beam size. These avenues – the development of new ion sources and improved optics – are at the heart of our future development.

How do TESCAN and ORSAY PHYSICS differentiate themselves from competitors in the highly specialized field of ion beam technology?

Under the visionary leadership of Jaroslav Klima for TESCAN and Pierre Sudraud for ORSAY PHYSICS, this group has provided outstanding examples of world firsts, such as the first double FIB SEM beam in Ga and Plasma. The merger with TESCAN has enabled ORSAY PHYSICS to combine its expertise in FIB columns with TESCAN’s expertise in SEM columns to offer top-of-the-range analytical tools at the cutting edge of innovation. We also have a strong reputation in collaborating with key people and institutes, enabling us to understand the requirements of future applications to ensure we remain a company of firsts.

TESCAN was established in 1991 and has grown from a 4-5 engineer start-up initially, to a company with more than 700 employees working from more than 10 facilities in 8 countries. We are a leading player in charged-particle optical instrumentation, including Scanning and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (SEM & STEM), Focused Ion Beam (FIB) and X-ray Computed Tomography (micro-CT), with more than 4,000 instruments sold and operational in more than 80 countries.  

In 2013, it expanded by merging with ORSAY PHYSICS, a French global leader in customized focused ion and electron beam technologies, and in 2018 by acquiring XRE, a Belgian innovator in the field of Dynamic and micro-CT technologies. A further, more recent milestone was the acquisition in 2023 of TESCAN ORSAY HOLDING and all its subsidiaries by CARLYLE, a US private equity company. TESCAN GROUP is headquartered in Brno, Czech Republic, where most of our instruments are expertly assembled, tested, and shipped to customers across the globe. 

Press Contact      

For further information, interview requests, or media inquiries, please contact:      

Linda Bilal, Senior Global Marketing Manager     

Marketing Department      

TESCAN GROUP, a.s.; Libušina tř. 21; 623 00 Brno – Kohoutovice; Czech Republic      

Phone: +420 530 353 478      Email: linda.bilal@tescan.com