Helium Ion Microscope Imaging and Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry depth profiling of sample cross sections


Helium Ion Microscope Imaging and Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry depth profiling of sample cross sections

Klingner, N.; Heller, R.; Hlawacek, G.

The Helium ion microscope is well known for its high-resolution imaging and nanofabrication performance. We have recently developed and presented a time-of-flight based secondary ion mass spectrometer that can be retrofitted to existing microscopes [1, 2].

Depth profiling in SIMS in general is usually done by sputtering into deeper layers and plotting the signal intensity over time. The actual milling depth can only be estimated and the common approach is to measure the crater depth with atomic force microscopy every time a compositional change is observed.

Direct imaging and chemical analysis of a cross-section with high spatial resolution can avoid this challenge. The cross sections will be prepared ex-situ by milling, grinding and low energy argon ion polishing.

[1] Klingner, N.; Heller, R.; Hlawacek, G.; von Borany, J.; Notte, J. A.; Huang, J. and
Facsko, S.; Ultramicroscopy 162(2016), 91-97
[2] Klingner, N.; Heller, R.; Hlawacek, G.; Facsko, S. and von Borany, J.; Ultramicroscopy 198(2019), 10-17

Related publications

  • Lecture (Conference)
    PicoFIB - Advances in Gas-Ion Microscopy, 20.01.2020, Sheffield, United Kingdom

Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-30149
Publ.-Id: 30149