The aim of this article is to report on preliminary investigations in evaluating a new kind of focused ion beam (FIB) instrument realized by coupling an advanced FIB "nanowriter" with a compact electron beam ion trap. The authors demonstrate the possibility to produce noble gas ion beams (He, Ar, Xe, and Kr) in a FIB machine using an electron beam ion trap. Preliminary results obtained using highly charged ions as projectiles are presented. (c) 2007 American Vacuum Society.