ISO 17297:2025
(Main)Microbeam analysis — Focused ion beam application for TEM specimen preparation — Vocabulary
Microbeam analysis — Focused ion beam application for TEM specimen preparation — Vocabulary
This document defines the most commonly used terms for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimen preparation using focused ion beam (FIB).
Analyse par microfaisceaux — Application de faisceaux d'ions focalisés pour la préparation d'éprouvettes de MET — Vocabulaire
General Information
Standards Content (Sample)
International
Standard
ISO 17297
First edition
Microbeam analysis — Focused ion
2025-05
beam application for TEM specimen
preparation — Vocabulary
Analyse par microfaisceaux — Application de faisceaux
d'ions focalisés pour la préparation d'éprouvettes de MET —
Vocabulaire
Reference number
© ISO 2025
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ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms related to the physical basis of the FIB system . 1
4 Terms related to FIB instrumentation . 5
5 Terms related to TEM sample preparation by FIB .10
6 Terms related to scanning ion and scanning electron microscopy using the FIB-SEM
system.11
Bibliography . 14
Index .15
iii
Foreword
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iv
Introduction
Electron microscopy is frequently used to acquire high-resolution images as well as a large amount of sample
information, such as structural and compositional information. Two main types of electron microscopy are
scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
In the case of TEM, transmitted electrons are used for nanoscopic characterization of samples and information
on the inner structure of the sample is obtained, such as the structure, morphology, and compositional
information. Due to the necessity of electron transmission through the sample, TEM specimens must be
prepared as thin as possible, in the range of a few tens of nanometres.
Typical capabilities of focused ion beam (FIB) instruments are the material removal by sputtering, imaging
by ion beam, and the deposition of materials at the nanoscale, which have enabled many FIB applications,
including the preparation of specimens for SEM and TEM. The site-specific and lift-out capabilities of FIB
instruments have not only enhanced failure analysis but also the minimization of the specimen preparation
period for materials science.
The dual-beam FIB-SEM platform allows for 3D analysis and significant improvements in the ability
to prepare thin TEM specimens. A large variety of specimens can now be analysed by TEM, including
semiconductors, metals, glass, polymers, composites, and biological specimens, via the benefits of FIB
advancements. Further FIB applications are expected to be available with additional development and
advancement of FIB instruments, including in-line automatic operation, multiple sample preparations, in-
situ lift-out, new ion sources, and cryogenic techniques, which are still in their infancy.
Due to the numerous instrument parameters and large body of technical knowledge for application, FIB-
based applications are expected to increase and there exists a risk of uncoordinated development of
technologies. Hence, there is a need to standardize certain aspects of the technique at the international level
and establish an international standard serving as a basis for facilitating the use of the FIB technique by
TEM users.
v
International Standard ISO 17297:2025(en)
Microbeam analysis — Focused ion beam application for TEM
specimen preparation — Vocabulary
1 Scope
This document defines the most commonly used terms for transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
specimen preparation using focused ion beam (FIB).
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms related to the physical basis of the FIB system
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
altered layer
surface region of material under ion bombardment where the chemical state or physical structure is
modified by the effects of the ion bombardment
[SOURCE: ISO 18115-1:2023, 9.17]
3.2
amorphization
development of an amorphous phase on the surface of a crystalline specimen by displacement of atoms from their
equilibrium positions, by the impingement of energetic ions generating a collision cascade within the sample
3.3
atomic mixing
migration of sample atoms due to energy transfer with incident ions in the surface region
[SOURCE: ISO 18115-1:2023, 9.9, modified — "incident particles" replaced with "incident ions" in the
definition and Note 1 to entry removed.]
3.4
beam tail
low-intensity edge of an ion beam that typically has a Gaussian intensity distribution
Note 1 to entry: These (rounded) beam tails inhibit the milling of flat cross-section surfaces with sharp edges unless a
protective layer on top of the specimens is used.
3.5
charge neutralization
process in which positive charge accumulation at the surface produced by an ion beam can be reduced or
eliminated by flooding the surface with an electron beam
3.6
charging potential
positive charge accumulation at the surface produced by an ion beam
Note 1 to entry: Charge accumulation can be reduced or eliminated by flooding the surface with an
electron beam.
3.7
chemical species
atom, molecule, ion, or functional group
[SOURCE: ISO 18115-1:2023, 3.5]
3.8
collision
instance of the closest approach governed by interatomic potentials between the incident ion and the target atom
3.9
collision cascade
sequential energy transfer between atoms in a solid as a result of ion bombardment by energetic ions
[SOURCE: ISO 18115-1:2023, 9.4, modified — the word “ion” has been added]
3.10
curtaining effect
waterfall effect
topographic irregularities on cross-section surfaces resembling curtains or waterfalls
Note 1 to entry: It is usually caused either by material inhomogeneities due to different sputtering rates (3.36), or by
rough specimen surfaces with strong topography, or by modulation of current density.
Note 2 to entry: Both can produce facets or vertical striations and/or an irregular cross-section surface.
3.11
diffusion range
projected range
path length for a single ion travel while moving in a sample
Note 1 to entry: Diffusion range (3.11) is inversely related to the sample's stopping power (3.39).
3.12
elastic scattering
interaction between a moving energetic ion and a sample, without energy transfer between ion and
sample atoms
Note 1 to entry: Elastic scattering usually results in the displacement of atoms and ion implantation (3.20) which can
induce amorphization (3.2) and atomic mixing
3.13
field-induced migration
effect occurring in insulators where internal electric fields created by ion bombardment cause the migration
of sample atoms
[SOURCE: ISO 18115-1:2023, 5.18]
3.14
inelastic mean free path
average distance that an ion with a given energy travels through a sample before losing kinetic energy (3.23)
via inelastic scattering (3.15)
[SOURCE: ISO 21466: 2019, 3.32, modified — the word “electron” has been replaced by the “ion”.]
3.15
inelastic scattering
interaction between a moving energetic ion and a sample without conservation of the total kinetic energy
Note 1 to entry: Inelastic scattering (3.15) can result in the production of phonons, plasmons (in metals), and the
emission of secondary electrons and secondary ions
[SOURCE: ISO 18115-1:2023, 4.2, modified — sentence has been simplified.]
3.16
interface
boundary between two bulk phases, with each phase having different chemical, elemental, or physical
properties from the other
3.17
interfacial region
volume between two bulk phases having chemical, elemental, or physical properties different from either
bulk phase
[SOURCE: ISO 18115-1:2023, 5.3]
3.18
ion beam
directed flux of charged atoms or molecules
[SOURCE: ISO 18115-1:2023, 8.8]
3.19
ion beam-induced mass transport
movement of atoms in a sample caused by ion bombardment
[SOURCE: ISO 18115-1:2023, 9.8]
3.20
ion implantation
beam of ions with sufficient kinetic energy (3.23) injected to penetrate the sample
3.21
ion species
types of ions used to form the ion beam (3.18)
+ + + 2+ + + 2+
Note 1 to entry: Typical species are Ga , Xe , Ar , N , He , Ne , O .
3.22
isotopes
atoms with identical numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons
Note 1 to entry: Ion beam source can emit one isotope or multiple isotopes leading to different interactions with the
specimens.
3.23
kinetic energy
energy of motion
[SOURCE: ISO 18115-1:2023, 3.35]
3.24
knock-in
knock-on
recoil implantation
movement of constituent atoms of the sample deeper into the sample as a result of collisions (3.8) with a
primary ion (3.29)
[SOURCE: ISO 18115-1:2023, 9.12, modified —“particle” changed to “ion”.]
3.25
linear cascade
linear collision cascade
dilute collision cascade (3.9) in which the number of atoms set in motion by an energetic primary ion (3.29) is
proportional to the amount of recoil energy deposited on the sample
[SOURCE: ISO 18115-1:2023, 9.5, modified — “particle” changed to “ion”.]
3.26
mean free path
average distance that an energetic ion travels before its momentum in its initial direction of motion is
reduced to 1/e of its initial value by elastic scattering (3.12)
3.27
noise
uncertainty in the signal intensity
3.28
penetration depth
depth to which an incident ion travels in a sample varies with material
3.29
primary ion
ion extracted from an ion source and directe
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