Helium Ion Microscope

There is a new type on microscope that is an alternative to the electron microscope. It is the helium ion microscope (HeIM). Helium ions have shorter wavelengths than electrons and that means better image resolution, up to four times better. The helium-derived images also have higher surface contrast and better depth of field. HeIMs can also create images with Rutherford backscattered ions -- in this case high-energy helium ions -- which give information about the chemical composition of the sample.
The semiconductor and nanomanufacturing industries are interested in the HeIM because it can give clear images of the edge of a microchip or the grooves in a CD, while a Scanning Electron Microscope gives images where edges appear fuzzy. Also, the ability of the the HeIM to determine the chemical composition of defects in a semiconductor chip could help improve production processes.