Implementation and Analysis of Open-Source Toolkit for rapid prototyping of automated FIB-SEM workflows and 3D Tomography
Implementation and Analysis of Open-Source Toolkit for rapid prototyping of automated FIB-SEM workflows and 3D Tomography
Monday, November 17, 2025: 2:00 PM
1 (Pasadena Convention Center)
Summary:
Automation of FIB-SEM systems is a major point of focus and an increasingly essential feature in modern tools for the nanoscale imaging and analysis of semiconductor devices. As semiconductor geometries gradually grow more complex, the need is rising to automate progressive FIB cross-sections in order to successfully reconstruct an accurate 3D model of die-level features via FIB tomography. For most tools, automation features could be purchased as complimentary software. However, a more cost-effective approach for labs with budget constraints, or for labs wanting to conduct a feasibility study of automated scripts, is to utilize a set of open-source software in order to perform automated progressive FIB cross-sections and 3D Tomography. In this paper, we introduce and analyze the use of PyAutoGUI (an open-source Python library), ImageJ (open-source image processing software) and 3D Slicer (open-source 3D visualization and analysis software) to create a fully open-source suite of tools for automating a progressive FIB cross-section and tomographic reconstruction. Aside from 3D Tomography, this approach could also be used to automate in-FIB deprocessing and EDX analysis, which we are actively investigating.
Automation of FIB-SEM systems is a major point of focus and an increasingly essential feature in modern tools for the nanoscale imaging and analysis of semiconductor devices. As semiconductor geometries gradually grow more complex, the need is rising to automate progressive FIB cross-sections in order to successfully reconstruct an accurate 3D model of die-level features via FIB tomography. For most tools, automation features could be purchased as complimentary software. However, a more cost-effective approach for labs with budget constraints, or for labs wanting to conduct a feasibility study of automated scripts, is to utilize a set of open-source software in order to perform automated progressive FIB cross-sections and 3D Tomography. In this paper, we introduce and analyze the use of PyAutoGUI (an open-source Python library), ImageJ (open-source image processing software) and 3D Slicer (open-source 3D visualization and analysis software) to create a fully open-source suite of tools for automating a progressive FIB cross-section and tomographic reconstruction. Aside from 3D Tomography, this approach could also be used to automate in-FIB deprocessing and EDX analysis, which we are actively investigating.