The VCR IBS/TM200S ion beam sputterer is designed to deposit ultra-fine grain conductive films of metal or carbon on the surface of a sample. The IBS can facilitate the deposition films composed of a variety of materials including iridium, carbon, chromium, platinum, and gold. These films are necessary to reveal the microscopic details made visible by the optimal resolving power of the latest generation of high-resolution scanning electron microscopes (SEMs). The IBS/TM200S deposits films by striking a target material with a plasma beam and sputtering material from the target onto the specimen. This process allows the low-energy deposition of sputterant in order to produce ultra-thin amorphous films, without requiring bombardment of the specimen of interest with high-energy plasma. Additionally, the specimen can be moved in a complex fashion during deposition to ensure uniform film deposition by using independent stage rotation and tilting controls.