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The three-dimensional (3D) morphology, anatomy, and in-situ chemical composition analysis of fossils are crucial for systematic paleontology and determining their phylogenetic positions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), offers valuable structural and chemical information for the analysis of fossils. However, its primary limitation is the restriction to two-dimensional surface data, which limits the exploration of fossils' 3D complexities. Conversely, 3D X-ray microscopy (3D-XRM), also known as a novel form of micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) facilitates the non-destructive 3D reconstruction of fossil specimens. Nevertheless, it lacks the capability to provide in-situ compositional data. Acknowledging the constraints inherent in these individual techniques, and in response to the evolving requirements of paleontological research, this study introduces an integrated approach that combines 3D-XRM with EDS-coupled focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM). This innovative strategy is designed to synergize the advantages of both techniques, thereby addressing challenges that conventional methods cannot. It enables the rapid identification of regions of interest (ROI) within fossil specimens at micrometer resolution. Subsequently, this method collects detailed data on both 3D structures and chemical compositions at the nanometer scale for the identified ROI. This integrated approach represents a significant advancement in paleontological and geological research methodologies, promising to meet the increasing demands of these fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A metho d is proposed for measuring high-voltage charging potentials of dielectrics under ion irradiation by shifting the boundary of the bremsstrahlung X-ray spectrum. Since there is no bremsstrahlung output during Xe+ ion irradiation, it was proposed to use a probing electron beam to generate bremsstrahlung X-rays. To eliminate the effect of charge compensation on the surface, the value of the current of the probing probe of electrons was selected. The values of the equilibrium charging potentials of Al2O3 ceramics, Al2O3 sapphire, SiO2, and Teflon are obtained at different ion irradiation energies. The data obtained are compared with the results of spectrometric studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have measured the dependence of the Fe–Mg interdiffusion coefficient, DFe-Mg, on the ferrosilite component in orthopyroxene, which so far has not been experimentally calibrated. Diffusion couples, consisting of approximately 1 µm thin-films were deposited by pulsed laser ablation on orthopyroxene crystals of En91Fs9 composition. Diffusion experiments were carried out at atmospheric pressure in vertical gas mixing furnaces (CO-CO2) at temperatures between 950 and 1100 °C at constant fO2 = 10–7 Pa. Using a focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM), FIB-foils were cut from diffusion couples before and after annealing. Diffusion profiles were extracted by using combined backscattered electron (BSE) imaging and energy dispersive X-ray (EDXS) mapping on FIB-foils which allowed to resolve concentration gradients within 20 nm. The microstructure of the diffusion experiments was investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Using this method, we obtained the first experimentally determined data on the dependence of DFe-Mg on the ferrosilite content in orthopyroxene at different temperatures, appearing to increase with increasing a temperature. For the temperature range (950 – 1100 °C), log fO2 = -7 Pa, along [001] in the composition Fs9, the log DFe-Mg yields the following Arrhenius equation: D F e - M g [ m 2 / s ] = 3.8 · 10 - 9 exp [ - 261.07 ± 24 [ k J / m o l ] / (R / T [ K ]) ] The effect of XFe on DFe-Mg, given by D (X Fe) = D (X Fe = 0.09) · 10 m (X Fe - 0.09) , can be calculated by the following parameterization where m follows a linear regression of m on temperature: m = - 2.711 · 10 4 / T (K) + 23.5408 By considering the DFe-Mg dependence on XFe, the timescales of natural processes obtained from modelling the compositional zoning of natural crystal may considerably differ from previously estimated timescales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FIB-SEM tomography is a powerful technique that integrates a focused ion beam (FIB) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to capture high-resolution imaging data of nanostructures. This approach involves collecting in-plane SEM images and using FIB to remove material layers for imaging subsequent planes, thereby producing image stacks. However, these image stacks in FIB-SEM tomography are subject to the shine-through effect, which makes structures visible from the posterior regions of the current plane. This artifact introduces an ambiguity between image intensity and structures in the current plane, making conventional segmentation methods such as thresholding or the k-means algorithm insufficient. In this study, we propose a multimodal machine learning approach that combines intensity information obtained at different electron beam accelerating voltages to improve the three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of nanostructures. By treating the increased shine-through effect at higher accelerating voltages as a form of additional information, the proposed method significantly improves segmentation accuracy and leads to more precise 3D reconstructions for real FIB tomography data. Highlights: FIB-SEM tomography can be used to acquire high-resolution image stacks of nanostructures. Machine learning reduces artifacts and ambiguities introduced in FIB-SEM tomography because of the shine-through effect. Our approach treats the shine-through effect as a valuable additional information for precise reconstruction. Using multi-voltage images, our multimodal ML approach improves 3D reconstruction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify dynamic changes of organelle microstructures in Chlorella pyrenoidosa cells during photosynthetic growth with CO2 fixation, three-dimensional (3D) organelle microstructures in three growth periods of meristem, elongation, and maturity were quantitatively determined and comprehensively reconstructed with focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM). The single round-pancake mitochondria in each cell split into a dumbbell and then into a circular ring, while the barycenter distance of mitochondria to chloroplast and nucleus was reduced to 45.5% and 88.3% to strengthen energy transfer, respectively. The single pyrenoid consisting of a large part and another small part in each chloroplast gradually developed to a mature state in which the two parts were nearly equal in size. The nucleolus progressively became larger with euchromatin replication. The number of starch grains gradually increased, but the mean grain volume remained nearly unchanged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our perception of distinct structures in brain cells and understanding of their function has been revised and updated overtime. Past approaches combined with current powerful technologies provide a more complete picture of the brain's organization, from how the neurons connect with each other to finer details of every corner inside the neurons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Osteocytes play a role as mechanosensory cells by sensing flow-induced mechanical stimuli applied on their cell processes. High-resolution imaging of osteocyte processes and the canalicular wall are necessary for the analysis of this mechanosensing mechanism. Focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) enabled the visualization of the structure at the nanometer scale with thousands of serial-section SEM images. We applied machine learning for the automatic semantic segmentation of osteocyte processes and canalicular wall and performed a morphometric analysis using three-dimensionally reconstructed images. Materials and methods: Six-week-old-mice femur were used. Osteocyte processes and canaliculi were observed at a resolution of 2 nm/voxel in a 4 × 4 μm region with 2000 serial-section SEM images. Machine learning was used for automatic semantic segmentation of the osteocyte processes and canaliculi from serial-section SEM images. The results of semantic segmentation were evaluated using the dice similarity coefficient (DSC). The segmented data were reconstructed to create three-dimensional images and a morphological analysis was performed. Results: The DSC was > 83%. Using the segmented data, a three-dimensional image of approximately 3.5 μm in length was reconstructed. The morphometric analysis revealed that the median osteocyte process diameter was 73.8 ± 18.0 nm, and the median pericellular fluid space around the osteocyte process was 40.0 ± 17.5 nm. Conclusion: We used machine learning for the semantic segmentation of osteocyte processes and canalicular wall for the first time, and performed a morphological analysis using three-dimensionally reconstructed images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals, plants, and fungi live in a microbe-dominated world. Investigating the interactions and processes at the host-microbe interface offers insight to how bacteria influence the development, health, and disease of the host. Optimization of existing imaging technologies and development of novel instrumentation will provide the tools needed to fully understand the dynamic relationship that occurs at the host-microbe interface throughout the lifetime of the host. In this review, we describe the current methods used in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) including cryo-fixation, sample processing, FIB-SEM, and cryotomography. Further, we highlight the new advances associated with these methods that open the cryo-EM discipline to large, complex multicellular samples, like symbiotic tissues. We describe the advantages and challenges associated with correlative imaging techniques and sample thinning methods like lift-out. By highlighting recent pioneering studies in the large-volume or symbiotic sample workflows, we provide insight into how symbiotic model systems will benefit from cryo-EM methods to provide artefact-free, near-native, macromolecular-scale resolution imaging at the host-microbe interface throughout the development and maintenance of symbiosis. Cryo-EM methods have brought a deep fundamental understanding of prokaryotic biology since its conception. We propose the application of existing and novel cryo-EM techniques to symbiotic systems is the logical next step that will bring an even greater understanding how microbes interact with their host tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding multiphase flow properties is essential for assessing and exploiting coals. These properties depend on the 3D pore space information, i.e. geometry and topology. However, determining the geometric and topological properties in coals are still challenging due to the complicated pore structures comprising several length scales. Studying pore scale structures in coals in a continuous range across over several length scales and integrating these information are necessary to increase the understanding of the role of pore structure on transport properties. Most of the current modeling methods are usually based on one or two experimental methods with limited and insufficient information. In this work, CO2 adsorption, N2 adsorption, MIP, X-ray µ-CT and FIB–SEM are used to study the pore structure characteristics of coal samples cored from the No. 9 coal seam of upper Permian Longtan formation at the Longfeng mine, China. The porosity, pore surface area, pore size distribution, connectivity and pore shapes measured by different methods are analyzed. We show that a combination of these techniques provides a richer picture of pore structure in coals. The obtained 3D pore structure can be applied to predict transport properties which are important to capture coal mine methane (CMM) and optimize field development. The results will also be helpful for the gas control in coal mines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When attempting to sufficiently protect outdoor bronze monuments from corrosion, searches for an effective solution are usually based on coating applications which have a high anticorrosive efficiency. In order to correctly assess the level of protection provided by such coatings, adherence (practical adhesion) measurements need to be performed for the proper evaluation of the deterioration of coating systems with aging. Although a coupled study of adherence with aging would be of great interest, very few such studies are available. In this work, a methodological approach is proposed for the evaluation of coatings applied to metallic cultural heritage monuments of, based on the use of a three-point bending test. Adherence characterization of different protective coatings has been performed both on bare and on traditionally black-patinated bronze coupons (Cu–Sn alloy with 5.9 wt% Sn), which were used as basic model substrates. The investigated coatings were Incralac®, silane, sol–gel oxysilane, and a silane-modified polymethacrylate (an adhesion promoter for fluoropolymer). The results of measurements which were obtained before and after accelerated aging in concentrated acid rain made it possible to more easily differentiate between the various adherence levels of different coating systems. Coupled with adherence measurements, the results of systematic optical and SEM observation of the different failure morphologies are also presented. In the case of the coated bare alloy, adhesive failures were mainly observed. The silane (PropS-SH) coating showed the best adherence. In the case of the patinated bronze test specimens, only cohesive failures occurred. Adherence is directly related to the cohesion of the black patina rather than that of the applied coating. It was observed that aging reduces the level of the adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine graphite micropowder was processed in a downstream tubular reactor to perform a fast and homogeneous plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of an organosilicon-plasma coating onto the powder surface. As a single process run results in the deposition of a non-continuous coating, consisting of a nanoparticle distribution, on the powder surface, the powder was repeatedly reprocessed until a continuous coating was obtained. The coating was imaged with focused ion-beam scanning electron microscopy and chemically characterized with Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The assessment of the powder flowability was also performed to investigate the roughness of the coated surface. The chemical characterization indicated that the coating is composed of amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbide with a little oxygen contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coated paper is an example of a multi-layer porous medium, involving a coating layer along the two surfaces of the paper and a fibrous layer in the interior of the paper. The interface between these two media needs to be characterized in order to develop relevant modeling tools. After careful cutting of the paper, a cross section was imaged using focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy. The resulting image was analyzed to characterize the coating layer and its transition to the fibrous layer. Such image analysis showed that the coating layer thickness is highly variable, with a significant fraction of it being thinner than a minimum thickness required to keep ink from invading into the fibrous layer. The overall structure of the coating and fibrous layers observed in this analysis provide insights into how the system should be modeled, with the resulting conclusion pointing to a specific kind of multi-scale modeling approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pore connectivity is an important property of coal. To explore the connectivity of pore-fractures in terms of macropores and mesopores in high-rank coal, two coal samples collected from the coal seam #3 in the southern Qinshui basin were selected. A pore-fracture network model of high-rank coal on the nanometer (10-100 nm) to micrometer (0.1-10 μm) scale is constructed, and key parameters are extracted using the 3D (three-dimensional) digital spatial characterization based on 3D scanning with FIB-SEM (Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy). Then, the connectivity of the pore-fractures and the contribution of pores with different genetic types to the connectivity of the high-rank coal are confirmed. The results show that the pores and throats of high-rank coal in coal seam #3 in the southern Qinshui basin are very narrow, with predominant mesopores < 50 nm in width. The tortuosity of the coal samples is low, and the cross-section is predominantly square and triangular in shape, which means that the capillary resistance is small. The connectivity of the pores is poor, and mesopores play an important role in the pore connectivity. Linear differential shrinkage pores are the main connected pores on the nanometer scale and communicate with irregularly rounded and elliptic differential shrinkage pores, secondary pores, and mineral pores. The types and contents of the minerals in coals determine the morphological characteristics and degree of development of the differential shrinkage pores, and have an important influence on the pore connectivity in high-rank coal. The content of quartz determines the degree of development of the linear differential shrinkage pores, and is the primary reasons for the differences in the connectivity of the two samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the application of focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy, FIB-SEM for revealing the three-dimensional features of osteocytic cytoplasmic processes in metaphyseal (immature) and diaphyseal (mature) trabeculae. Tibiae of eight-week-old male mice were fixed with aldehyde solution, and treated with block staining prior to FIB-SEM observation. While two-dimensional backscattered SEM images showed osteocytes’ cytoplasmic processes in a fragmented fashion, three-dimensional reconstructions of FIB-SEM images demonstrated that osteocytes in primary metaphyseal trabeculae extended their cytoplasmic processes randomly, thus maintaining contact with neighboring osteocytes and osteoblasts. In contrast, diaphyseal osteocytes extended thin cytoplasmic processes from their cell bodies, which ran perpendicular to the bone surface. In addition, these osteocytes featured thick processes that branched into thinner, transverse cytoplasmic processes; at some point, however, these transverse processes bend at a right angle to run perpendicular to the bone surface. Osteoblasts also possessed thicker cytoplasmic processes that branched off as thinner processes, which then connected with cytoplasmic processes of neighboring osteocytes. Thus, FIB-SEM is a useful technology for visualizing the three-dimensional structures of osteocytes and their cytoplasmic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoindentation test results in the axial direction of mouse femurs were the basis for the current study. Although the majority of the nanoindentation curves showed a reasonable consistency, some curves showed a significantly softer response. Detailed investigation, using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy, provided that the softer response is due to subsurface cavities such as lacunae. Finite element models were developed to simulate the nanoindentation of mice femur cortical bone samples with and without the incorporation of a single lacuna underneath the bone surface. Based on the material parameters determined for the cavity-free tissue, numerical simulations were run for different cases of cavity size, shape, and location. Spherical cavities with different size were considered at different distances from the surface. The results showed that subsurface cavities can lead to 50% higher indentation compared to an indentation in cavity-free material. Continuing with ellipsoidal cavities with the center located on the load axis, the results showed a nonlinear dependency of ellipsoid shape. Hence, the shape of the cavity is important for the nanoindentation response. The influence of horizontal and vertical offsets of spherical cavities was studied, thereby the results showed that an increasing horizontal offset caused a decreasing influence of the vertical distance from the surface. In perspective, the present study provides information that may help to get deeper knowledge of nanoindentation load-displacement mechanism taking place in samples with subsurface cavities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With improvements of imaging techniques and computational power, Digital Rock Physics (DRP) has been increasingly used to determine transport and elastic properties of reservoir core plugs. Since numerical computations highly rely on accurate 3D representations of the porous microstructure of the rocks, the imaging technique and the scale at which the imaging is performed is a critical parameter. In this paper, we introduce a multiscale imaging workflow that uses both micro-X-ray tomography (micro-XCT) and focused ion beam combined with scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) to characterize a dolomite rock from the microscale to the nanoscale. This allows for the accurate capture of the different heterogeneities that exist in the carbonate (texture, mineralogy, pore size). The reconstructed microporous structures were then used to successfully predict elastic and permeability properties of selected carbonate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) techniques has allowed high-resolution 3D imaging of nanometre-scale porous materials. These systems are of important interest to the oil and gas sector, as well as for the safe long-term storage of carbon and nuclear waste. This work focuses on validating the accurate representation of sample pore space in FIB-SEM-reconstructed volumes and the predicted permeability of these systems from subsequent single-phase flow simulations using a highly homogeneous nanometre-scale, mesoporous (2-50 nm) to macroporous (>50 nm), porous ceramic in initial developments for digital rock physics. The limited volume of investigation available from FIB-SEM has precluded direct quantitative validation of petrophysical parameters estimated from such studies on rock samples due to sample heterogeneity, large variations in recorded sample pore sizes and lack of pore connectivity. By using homogeneous synthetic ceramic samples we have shown that lattice-Boltzmann flow simulations using processed FIB-SEM images are capable of predicting the permeability of a homogeneous material dominated by 10-100 nanometre-scale pores (similar, albeit simpler, to those in natural samples) at the much larger scale where permeability measurements become practical. This result shows the LB flow simulations can be used with confidence in pores at this scale allowing future work to focus on sample preparation techniques for samples sensitive to drying and multiple FIB-SEM site selection for the population of larger-scale models for heterogeneous systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports recent developments and advances in the simulation of the CO-formation fluid displacement behaviour at the pore scale of subsurface porous media. Roughly, there are three effective visualization approaches to detect and observe the CO-formation fluid displacement mechanism at the micro-scale, namely, magnetic resonance imaging, X-ray computed tomography and fabricated micromodels, but they are not capable of investigating the displacement process at the nano-scale. Though a lab-on-chip approach for the direct visualization of the fluid flow behaviour in nanoscale channels has been developed using an advanced epi-fluorescence microscopy method combined with a nanofluidic chip, it is still a qualitative analysis method. The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) can simulate the CO displacement processes in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional (3D) pore structure, but until now, the CO displacement mechanisms had not been thoroughly investigated and the 3D pore structure of real rock had not been directly taken into account in the simulation of the CO displacement process. The status of research on the applications of CO displacement to enhance shale gas recovery is also analyzed in this paper. The coupling of molecular dynamics and LBM in tandem is proposed to simulate the CO-shale gas displacement process based on the 3D digital model of shale obtained from focused ion beams and scanning electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of development of a new assembly technology to achieve bonding for an innovative silicon carbide (SiC) power device used in harsh environments, the aim of this study is to compare two silver sintering profiles and then to define the best candidate for die attach material for this new component. To achieve this goal, the solder joints have been characterized in terms of porosity by determination of the morphological characteristics of the material heterogeneities and estimating their thermal and electrical transport properties. The three dimensional (3D) microstructure of sintered silver samples has been reconstructed using a focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) tomography technique. The sample preparation and the experimental milling and imaging parameters have been optimized in order to obtain a high quality of 3D reconstruction. Volume fractions and volumetric connectivity of the individual phases (silver and voids) have been determined. Effective thermal and electrical conductivities of the samples and the tortuosity of the silver phase have been also evaluated by solving the diffusive transport equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

External pollen grain morphology has been widely used in the taxonomy and systematics of flowering plants, especially the Acanthaceae which are noted for pollen diversity. However internal pollen wall features have received far less attention due to the difficulty of examining the wall structure. Advancing technology in the field of microscopy has made it possible, with the use of a focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM), to view the structure of pollen grain walls in far greater detail and in three dimensions. In this study the wall structures of 13 species from the Acanthaceae were investigated for features of potential systematic relevance. FIB-SEM was applied to obtain precise cross sections of pollen grains at selected positions for examining the wall ultrastructure. Exploratory studies of the exine have thus far identified five basic structural types. The investigations also show that similar external pollen wall features may have a distinctly different internal structure. FIB-SEM studies have revealed diverse internal pollen wall features which may now be investigated for their systematic and functional significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of frozen non-equilibrium structure for anisotropically deformed natural rubber with the nanomatrix structure on mechanical properties was investigated with respect to morphology analysis through 3D observation. Natural rubber with the nanomatrix structure was prepared by graft copolymerization of styrene onto natural rubber particles in latex stage followed by coagulation of the resulting latex. The morphology was observed by electron tomography and focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM). The nanomatrix structure in isotropic state was precisely analyzed by electron tomography and synchrotron scattering technique. The nanomatrix structure was found to consist of natural rubber particles and polystyrene nanoparticles. The frequency-independent loss tangent at plateau region was attributed to the discontinuous nanomatrix structure. After annealing at 403 K and 7 MPa, the nanomatrix became continuous, which resulted in the increases in stress at strain of one and storage modulus as well as increase in loss tangent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoindentation tests, spanning various length scales ranging from 200 nm to 5 μm deep, were performed on a sample of organic-rich Woodford shale in both the bedding plane normal and bedding plane parallel directions. Focused ion beam milling, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were utilized to characterize the shale at the scale of the nanoindentation testing as being comprised predominantly of clay and other silicate minerals suspended in a mixed organic/clay matrix. The nanoindentation tests reveal the mechanical properties of the relatively homogeneous constituent materials as well as those of the highly heterogeneous composite material. Loads on the order of a few millinewtons produced shallower indents and demonstrated the elastic-plastic deformation response of the constituent materials, whereas higher loads of as much as a few hundred millinewtons produced deeper indents revealing the response of the composite matrix. In both cases, significant creep was observed. We use nonlinear finite element modeling utilizing an isotropic critical state theory with creep to capture the indentation response by calibrating plastic material parameters to the laboratory measurements. The simulations provide a means of extracting plastic material parameters from the nanoindentation measurements and reveal the capabilities as well as limitations of an isotropic model in capturing the response of an inherently anisotropic material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naturally occurring nanomatrix structure formed in natural rubber was observed with a field emission scanning electron microscope equipped with a focused ion beam (FIB-SEM), and it was related to viscoelastic properties of the rubber. Film specimen used for the FIB-SEM observation was prepared from serum fraction of natural rubber latex, in which serum rubber contained about 15 w/ w% proteins. Morphology of the film specimen was observed by FIB-SEM, after pinning the nanomatrix structure with glutaraldehyde followed by staining the serum rubber with OsO. Three-dimensional image of the nanomatrix structure was successfully reconstructed in mesoscale without defects and voids, in which rubber particles of 200 nm in diameter were dispersed in the matrix of non-rubber components such as the proteins and phospholipids of several 10 nm in thickness. Storage modulus at plateau region of the serum rubber was about 500 times as high as that of deproteinized natural rubber, suggesting that the nanomatrix of the non-rubber components was completely continuous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of the femtosecond laser (fs laser) with its ability to provide extremely rapid athermal ablation of materials has initiated a renaissance in materials science. Sample milling rates for the fs laser are orders of magnitude greater than that of traditional focused ion beam (FIB) sources currently used. In combination with minimal surface post-processing requirements, this technology is proving to be a game changer for materials research. The development of a femtosecond laser attached to a focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (LaserFIB) enables numerous new capabilities, including access to deeply buried structures as well as the production of extremely large trenches, cross sections, pillars and TEM H-bars, all while preserving microstructure and avoiding or reducing FIB polishing. Several high impact applications are now possible due to this technology in the fields of crystallography, electronics, mechanical engineering, battery research and materials sample preparation. This review article summarizes the current opportunities for this new technology focusing on the materials science megatrends of engineering materials, energy materials and electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]