𝐂𝐫𝐲𝐨‑𝐁𝐈𝐁 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞

Toray Research Center Europe, located in the Munich metropolitan area of Germany, has recently introduced a Cryo‑BIB (Cryogenic Broad Ion Beam) processing system, significantly enhancing its cross‑sectional analysis capabilities, particularly for organic materials and electronic components.

Since commencing operations in October 2022, Toray Research Center Europe site has been providing analytical solutions based on the extensive expertise accumulated at Japan headquarters, addressing samples that are difficult to evaluate with in‑house facilities and analytical challenges related to reproducibility and interpretation. With the introduction of Cryo‑BIB, the range of analytical services that can be handled locally in Europe has been further expanded.

■ Added Value through the Introduction of Cryo‑BIB

BIB processing is a technique in which a broad ion beam is used to mill without mechanical contact and planarize a sample surface, enabling the preparation of flat and uniform cross‑sections. Unlike mechanical cutting or polishing, BIB processing minimizes mechanical stress and smearing, allowing the preparation of high‑quality cross‑sections suitable for observation and analysis. Therefore, BIB processing has been widely utilized for preparing high‑quality cross‑sections for SEM‑EDX observations, particularly in:

- Metals, ceramics, and semiconductor materials

- Electronic components with multilayer structures

- Macro to microscale cross‑sectional observation of composite materials

However, conventional BIB processing involves localized temperature increases due to ion irradiation, which may cause thermal damage when applied to:

- Polymer materials and organic composite materials

- Fuel cell materials containing polymer electrolyte membranes

- Organic/inorganic composite interfaces

- Medical products, cosmetics, coatings, and membrane materials (e.g. RO membranes)

In such cases, thermal effects such as melting, flow, evaporation, decomposition of organic components, and degradation of interfacial structures may compromise the integrity of the cross‑section.

The Cryo‑BIB system addresses these challenges by maintaining the full functionality of conventional BIB processing while enabling sample milling under controlled temperatures ranging from 0 to −150 °C. This low‑temperature processing effectively suppresses thermal damage during ion irradiation, allowing the preparation of cross‑sections that more faithfully preserve the original morphology of the sample.

source : Toray Research Center Inc.