Determination of the sequence of intersecting lines using Focused Ion Beam/Scanning Electron Microscope

Jiye Kim; MinJung Kim; JinWook An; Yunje Kim

doi:10.1111/1556-4029.13076

Determination of the sequence of intersecting lines using Focused Ion Beam/Scanning Electron Microscope

J Forensic Sci. 2016 May;61(3):803-8. doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.13076. Epub 2016 Apr 7.

Authors

Jiye Kim^{1

2}, MinJung Kim³, JinWook An⁴, Yunje Kim¹

Affiliations

¹ Environmental Technology Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 131, Cheongryang, Seoul, Korea.
² Department of Chemistry, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Korea.
³ Forensic Science Division in Supreme Prosecution Service, Document Examination Section of National Digital Forensic Center, 157 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea.
⁴ Kyunghee Univirsity, Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea.

PMID: 27122423
DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.13076

Abstract

The aim of this study was to verify that the combination of focused ion beam (FIB) and scanning electron microscope/energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) could be applied to determine the sequence of line crossings. The samples were transferred into FIB/SEM for FIB milling and an imaging operation. EDX was able to explore the chemical components and the corresponding elemental distribution in the intersection. The technique was successful in determining the sequence of heterogeneous line intersections produced using gel pens and red sealing ink with highest success rate (100% correctness). These observations show that the FIB/SEM was the appropriate instrument for an overall examination of document.

Keywords: document examination; forensic science; intersections; line sequence; scanning electron microscope; sequence discrimination.