Nanostructures by mass-separated FIB

The introduction of mass-separated systems in the field of focused ion beams significantly increases the area of application in nanotechnology due to the availability of a broad spectrum of ions with the same advantages compared to classical Ga instruments. A short description of the configuration of a mass-separated FIB tool is given as well as the fundamentals of alloy liquid metal ion sources. Examples of application include patterned tailoring of functional surfaces and ion-induced phase transformation in thin layers, in particular the Si nanowire fabrication by FIB implantation and subsequent wet-chemical, anisotropic etching and the FIB lithography of thin ta-C films. Furthermore, the ion beam synthesis of CoSi2 nanostructures by Co-FIB writing and annealing, and the modification of surface morphology by various mono- and polyatomic projectiles in a broad energy- and temperature range in different materials are described and discussed.