• Energy Research

The focused ion beam (FIB) is a powerful tool for fabrication, modification, and characterization of materials down to the nanoscale. Starting with the gallium FIB, which was originally intended for photomask repair in the semiconductor industry, there are now many different types of FIB that are commercially available. These instruments use a range of ion species and are applied broadly in materials science, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, and even archaeology. The goal of this roadmap is to provide an overview of FIB instrumentation, theory, techniques, and applications. By viewing FIB developments through the lens of various research communities, we aim to identify future pathways for ion source and instrumentation development, as well as emerging applications and opportunities for improved understanding of the complex interplay of ion–solid interactions. We intend to provide a guide for all scientists in the field that identifies common research interest and will support future fruitful interactions connecting tool development, experiment, and theory. While a comprehensive overview of the field is sought, it is not possible to cover all research related to FIB technologies in detail. We give examples of specific projects within the broader context, referencing original works and previous review articles throughout.

Electron-energy-loss spectroscopy is used to map composition and electronic states in epitaxial La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 (LCMO) films of various thicknesses grown on SrTiO3 (001) and (110) substrates. For relatively thick films (≥20 nm), epitaxial tensile strain in (001) films promotes a compositional La/Ca gradient across the film thickness, being the interface La rich, while the relaxed (110) films are chemically homogeneous. In contrast, much thinner (001) and (110) LCMO films display a different La/Ca distribution, being La rich at the free surface. The observed distinct thickness-dependent composition gradient behavior reflects a balance between strain-induced elastic energy minimization and kinetic effects during growth.