The NanoMill system features gaseous ion source technology that results in ion energies as low as 50eV and a beam size as small as 2 microns. It allows specimens to be prepared without amorphization, implantation, or re-deposition. The ion beam can be targeted to a specific area of interest. A secondary electron detector (SED) is used to image the ion-induced secondary electrons that are generated from the targeted area of the specimen.