2 metal ion sources currently fitted with boron and carbon targets.

2 d.c. magnetron sputtering sources used to form ZrN and CNx multilayer materials

1 gas ion source

The main goal of MIBE is to combine deposition processes with the analytical capabilities of SPEAR and an UHV TEM. Samples can be grown in MIBE and then transfered to SPEAR where analytical techniques such as Auger Electrom Spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) can be performed to determine chemical and bonding information.  The samples can then be transfered to the Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) for structural information. More information on SPEAR and TEM's can be found at ourSurface Science facilities page.
 
MIBE is composed of two chambers: a process chamber for deposition and a load-lock used for introducing samples from air.The load-lock also serves as the interface between MIBE and SPEAR. In the process chamber, the sources listed above are independently shuttered so that the thickness of each layer in the multilayers can be precisely controlled. The sample stage can be biased, heated and rotated. The stage can hold either 3 mm samples mounted into rings or large samples meant for bulk studies (e.g., Atomic Force Microscopy and Nano-Indentation).