• 1959 Feynman suggest the use of ION BEAMS
  
• 1975 High brightness ion source: LMIS (Krohn and Ringo)
  
• 1978 Seliger: First Scanning Ion Microscope
  
  

• started in the 1980s
  
  
• 2001 Start of NanoFIB project
  
  
  

The Nano-FIB project has been built around a group of recognised and motivated European experts. Our ambition is to explore the patterning potential of high resolution Focused Ion Beams (FIB). Before the start of the project we shared the feeling that the expertise for handling and using high-resolution focused ion beams was lacking. We assembled a team of people who already knew each other well and were willing to tackle this challenge. One decisive issue concerning the way to build the project was the meeting in the middle of the year 2000 between R. Jede (Raith GmbH) expert in electron lithography systems and wafer navigation and J. Gierak (CNRS-L2M) who has been developing FIB systems and liquid metal ion sources during the previous years. The discussions rapidly concentrated on the possibility of building a FIB nano-tool. This led to the suggestion that an innovative Focused Ion Beam system having breakthrough patterning potential should be developed. We decided to prepare a proposal for an EC project with an interdisciplinary group of scientists (applied physics, applied chemistry, theoretical physics and SMEs). The proposal was based on our respective and complementary knowledge in the development of instruments and our large expertise within different application fields. Luckily the EC shared our interest and funded the project (Contract G5RD-CT2000-0034). Thanks again from this side to the EC for supporting our "crazy idea" and the scientific officers for their support, advice and "tips".