Jul 30 2015
AXT is pleased to announce that they have recently completed the installation of a TESCAN LYRA Focussed Ion Beam/Scanning Electron Microscope (FIB/SEM) at Curtin University in Perth, Australia, as part of the National Resource Sciences Precint’s Advanced Resource Characterisation Facility.
This follows the winning of a competitive tender for the CSIRO, who have collaborated with Curtin University and the University of Western Australia.
Operators being trained to drive the TESCAN LYRA FIB-SEM at Curtin University (TESCAN TIMA in the foreground).
The LYRA integrates a high resolution Schottky Field Emission FE-SEM with a high resolution FIB column. This system is the third generation of the instrument and benefits from development over the years with upgrades including giving users access to the latest technologies such as improved high performance electronics for faster image acquisition, ultrafast scanning with compensation for static and dynamic range aberrations and built-in scripting for user-defined applications. All this in a package that maintains the best price-to-performance ratio on the market.
Some of the unique features of the system include: the highest number of simultaneous analytical tools; fully integrated Time-Of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (TOF SIMS) capability which is unique in Australia; simultaneous EDS and EBSD using static measurement mode enabling faster data acquisition and 3D reconstruction and; a fully integrated and software controlled nanomanipulator ideal for atom probe and TEM sample prep.
Prof. Steven Reddy from Curtin University who was key to securing funding and undertaking the instrument selection process said that, "one of the key applications for the LYRA will be sample preparation for our atom probe facility. The Atom Probe in particular is used for ground-breaking geoscience research where it is used for nanoscale characterisation of natural mineral and ore samples for Western Australia's rich mining industry. The LYRA and its precision milling capabilities will help us to quickly and accurately prepare samples so we can zero in on areas of interest and hence spend more time analysing important features."
The LYRA now resides in a laboratory next to its cousins the TIMA (TESCAN Integrated Minerals Analyser) and a TESCAN MIRA, which share the same high resolution electron microscope column. The TIMA is tailored specifically for high throughput automated minerals analysis. All three installations are supported locally by AXT's Perth-based service engineers.
This high end analytical solution from TESCAN is their highest specification instrument in Australia, and boosts Perth's install density. It is also the third TESCAN installation in Perth in the last year.
TESCAN SEMs and FIBs are distributed in Australia exclusively by AXT. AXT also offer a range of complimentary technology and other analytical solutions from global manufacturers. For more details visit www.axt.com.au or contact [email protected].