ZEISS Crossbeam 750 FIB-SEM Revolutionizes Sample Preparation with Real-Time Imaging
ZEISS has officially launched the new ZEISS Crossbeam 750 focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM), a cutting-edge tool optimized for demanding sample preparation workflows. This advanced system provides a live, high-resolution "see while you mill" view during imaging and milling processes, enabling immediate feedback and eliminating interruptions for uniform first-pass transmission electron microscopy (TEM) lamellae and precise FIB cross sections.
Enhanced Capabilities for Semiconductor and Materials Analysis
For advanced semiconductor and materials workflows, the ZEISS Crossbeam 750 FIB-SEM, equipped with new Gemini 4 electron optics, delivers background-free, real-time endpointing and sub-nanometer precision. This makes it ideal for analyzing leading-node logic and memory devices, as well as applications in nanofabrication and three-dimensional (3D) volume imaging. The system's larger field of view with reduced distortion also speeds up acquisition times for 3D tomography in materials research and life sciences.
Key Features and Innovations
The Crossbeam 750 was designed around the core principle that users should not have to stop milling to see their sample's status. Dr. Thomas Rodgers, Senior Director of Market Strategy and Head of Business Sector Electronics at ZEISS Microscopy, emphasized this, stating, "Our new high-dynamic-range (HDR) Mill + SEM capability maintains a clear, high-resolution SEM view at any FIB condition, from rapid milling with high FIB currents down to fine polishing at 0.5 kV." This real-time clarity, combined with Gemini 4 electron optics, allows for fine-tuning processes on the fly, reducing rework, improving yield, and delivering highly uniform lamellae on the first attempt.
Transforming Semiconductor Analysis
As semiconductor device architectures shrink and become more complex—transitioning from fin field-effect transistor (finFET) to gate-all-around (GAA), complementary field-effect transistor (CFET), and emerging two-dimensional (2D) materials—precise, real-time control during FIB processing has become critical. The ZEISS Crossbeam 750 addresses this need by maintaining a clear, high-resolution SEM view during milling, even at low landing energies and tilt angles. This enables users to observe FIB-sample interactions in real time, fine-tune thinning and polishing steps as they occur, and achieve nanometer-scale endpoints consistently for leading-node logic and memory device workflows.
Applications in Scientific Discovery
Beyond semiconductors, the ZEISS Crossbeam 750 FIB-SEM is essential in materials science workflows for uniform TEM lamella preparation, atom probe tomography (APT) sample prep, nanofabrication (including electron-beam lithography), and high-fidelity 3D volume imaging. For life sciences and materials research, its undistorted large field-of-view and stable low-kV performance enhance signal-to-noise ratios and accelerate acquisition times, driving forward scientific discovery and innovation.
