Apertures
ARC possesses the machining techniques, skill and equipment to fabricate a wide variety of apertures in a similarly wide variety of materials. The aspect ratio of aperture opening to material thickness is generally limited to a 1:20 ratio. Shown on the right in Figure 1 is an aperture with a wide series of holes ranging from 15um to 960um.
Aperture construction varies from a free-standing sheet aperture where the aperture holes range from tens of nanometers to millimeters and material thicknesses range from sub-micron foil to tens of millimeters.Figure 2 (right) illustrates a 30nm thin foil with a 5nm diameter hole. ARC used its ultra machining techniques and then verified the dimensions using our in-house Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
Figure 1 The aperture above is fabricated using different machining techniques
Figure 2 5 nm dia. x 30 nm depth in Silicon Nitride (SEM)
Figure 2 (right) illustrates a 30nm thin foil with a 5nm diameter hole. ARC used its ultra machining techniques and then verified the dimensions using our in-house Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
All apertures are characterized using the most appropriate measurement instrument including our SEM as illustrated below.
Drawings and sketches may be submitted by calling 651-789-9003 to speak to Marlow Roberts who leads ARC’s Ultra Machining Fab.
Also see ARC’s world-renowned Focused Ion Beam Aperture strips at: www.arcapertures.com or contact Chris Wurst at 651-789-9000. Cf. Figure 8 below.
Figure 3 15 µm thru 50 µm Molybdenum
Figure 4 9.7 µm Dia. thru 50 µm of Molybdenum
Figure 5 Molybdenum FIB Aperture
Figure 6 200 µm in Silicon Carbide (SiC), 750 µm center to center, 600 µm deep
Figure 7 80 µm Square Hole with a 1.34 µm Corner radius thru 25 µm of Molybdenum
Figure 7 (continued) Corner Detail
Figure 8 Portion of a Standard FIB Apertures Strip in Molybdenum
Figure 9 500 µm holes in SiC 750 µm Center to Center, 3.1 mm Deep
