Liquid Metal Alloy Ion Sources for magnetic nano-structures

Focused Ion Beam (FIB) is a modern tool for µm and sub-µm structure fabrication and analysis. Commercial systems work mostly with a Gallium - Liquid Metal Ion Source (LMIS) and can achieve a resolution lower than 10 nm and current densities more than 10 Acm-2. The use of alloy LMIS, mainly developed at HZDR, opens a broad field of new applications. In combination with modern FIB systems, like the VELION (Raith) the application field can be extended due to a broad spectrum of available ion species in high resolution ion beams and the stage properties. All these aspects will be concentrated to the ZIM project GRANT No.-ZF4330902 DF7 dealing with the prospective modern topic of nano-magnetic structures from basic research up to new applications. Main topics are: i) the local modification of magnetic single nano-structures using a FIB with Co, Ni, Fe, … ions and ii) the fabrication and investigation of magnonic crystals, made by writing FIB implantation with rare earth ions (Nd, Dy, Ho, Er, …).