Impacts of Focused Ion Beam Processing on the Fabrication of Nanoscale Functionalized Probes

Abstract

Herein, we examine the impact of Ga⁺ ion kinetic energy and the target material type on the extent of ion implantation and structural damage in atomic force microscopy probes made of Al₂O₃ and ZnO manufactured by focused ion beam using scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray mapping. Penetration of Ga into the Al₂O₃ lattice induced structural distortions and amorphization. For the ZnO probes, Ga is uniformly dispersed across the surface, resulting in the formation of distinct clusters. Atom probe tomography further validates the Ga distributions in Al₂O₃ and ZnO nanoprobes. Complementary Monte Carlo simulations with the transport of ions in the matter program indicated that the introduction of Ga⁺ prompts the generation of cation and anion vacancies, an occurrence more pronounced in Al₂O₃ compared to ZnO. This study not only enriches the knowledge of ion–matter interactions but also serves as a practical guide for the fabrication of nanoscale functionalized atomic force microscopy probes.