The authors have attempted in this book, to produce a reference on high resolution focused ion beams (FIBs) that should be useful for both the user and the designer of FIB instrumentation. They have included a mix of theory and applications. The field of FIBs has advanced rapidly since the application of the first field emission ion sources in the early 1970s. The development of the liquid metal ion source (LMIS) in the late 1960s and early 1970s and its application for FIBs in the late 1970s has resulted in a powerful tool for research and for industry. The authors have tried to cover the essential topics needed to understand what FIB technology is, how and why it works, and how it is applied. To this end they have included a chapter on the physics of the LMIS that includes practical information on these important ion sources, and two chapters that provide an introduction to ion optics and a "practical" discussion of ion optics as it is used in the FIB system today. Because FIBs are so often used to alter materials they have included a chapter on the interaction of ions with matter. The final chapter is a comprehensive coverage of FIB applications up to the year 2000.
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