Life Sciences Commons^™

Synchrotron Radiation Induced X-Ray Microanalysis: A Realistic Alternative For Electron- And Ion-Beam Microscopy?, K. Janssens, F. C. Adams, M. L. Rivers, K. W. Jones

Scanning Microscopy

Synchrotron radiation induced X-ray micro fluorescence analysis (μ-SRXRF) is compared with more conventional microanalytical techniques such as secondary ion microscopy (SIMS) and electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPXMA) for two typical microanalytical applications. μ-SRXRF and EPXMA are employed for the analysis of individual particles, showing the complementary character of both techniques. By means of element mapping of trace constituents in a heterogeneous feldspar material, the strong and weak points of μ-SRXRF in comparison to EPXMA and SIMS are illustrated. The most striking difference between μ-SRXRF and the other two microanalytical methods is the ability of SRXRF to probe deep into the …

Dendritic Oxide Growth On The Surface Of Liquid Gallium, Y. L. Wang, A. Raval, R. Levi-Setti

Scanning Microscopy

We have studied the oxidation of a liquid gallium surface with a high spatial resolution scanning ion microprobe. A 40 keV focused gallium ion beam, extracted from a liquid metal ion source, was employed, first, to sputter clean a 40 x 40 μm² area on a drop of liquid gallium, in a ultra high vacuum (UHV) specimen chamber. It was then used to monitor the oxide growth by secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging microanalysis while the chamber was gradually back-filled with oxygen. In the initial stages, gallium oxide grew in a dendritic pattern from the edge of the cleaned …

Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Studies Of Isotope Effect In Diffusion, U. Södervall, H. Odelius, A. R. E. Lodding

Scanning Microscopy

The mass effect of diffusion is of interest in connection with interactions between defects and impurities and with the mechanisms of atomic displacements in the condensed states. The delineation entails the precise measurement of the isotope ratio as function of tracer concentration, varying within several orders of magnitude along the diffusion profile. The measurement by SIMS (secondary ion mass spectrometry), using stable isotopes, has proved to possess advantages compared to familiar techniques with radiotracers. However, the aims require the utmost counting economy and optimal precision available in SIMS, including the control of the mass fractionation and of some features peculiar …

Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Of Glasses: Aspects Of Quantification, H. Odelius, A. R. E. Lodding, L. O. Werme, D. E. Clark

Scanning Electron Microscopy

SIMS routines have been developed for the analysis of oxide materials, with applications particularly in element profiling of corrosion layers on glasses after weathering or leaching. The possibilities of quantification and reproducibility have been found critically sensitive to the buildup of charge on the insulating specimens. With control of constant specimen potential, relative sensitivity factors in the positive mass spectrum have been determined for about 20 elements in 10 different alkali-borosilicate glasses. Secondary ion yields were studied as functions of the energy range of ions admitted to the analyzer. At relatively low energies, including the top of the energy distribution, …

Sputter Crater Contour Mapping With Multilayered Films, L. L. Levenson, T. P. Massopust, J. Dick, M. C. Jaehnig, D. Griffith

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Multilayered films composed of alternating 200 Å Al and 267 Å Al203 layers are made by physical vapor deposition. Twenty-two pairs of these films are deposited on a polished Si wafer. Ion beam sputtering is used to form craters in the multilayered film. When a crater is viewed or photographed in situ by scanning electron microscopy, the Al₂O₃ layers appear bright and the Al layers appear dark. In the scanning electron microscope (SEM) the Al₂O₃ layers have a high secondary electron yield compared to Al. In secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), using Cs^{+ …}

Mineralogical Application Of The Ion Microscope Elementary Analysis, A. Havette

Scanning Electron Microscopy

The ion microscope is an instrument which allows the study "in-situ" of polished solid surfaces by means of analysis of secondary ions emitted by the sample, this one being bombarded with neutral or ionized particles.

This instrument is a mass spectrometer and an ion microscope. It is then possible to study elements and their isotopes (mass spectra, counting, isotope abundances...) and to know the distribution of these elements in an area of around one hundred micrometers. Molecular and multicharged ions can be superimposed to elementary ions. Two methods can be used to suppress them but, in any case, it results …

Limits Of Quantitative Microanalysis Using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, Peter Williams

Scanning Electron Microscopy

The limitations on secondary ion micro-analytical performance imposed by ionization probabilities, mass spectrometer transmission, requirements for standards and sputtering artifacts have been investigated. The sensitivity of a modern magnetic mass spectrometer for sputtered B⁺ from oxidized Si is ~ 10^-2 ions detected/atom sputtered. For this sensitivity, it is shown that ion microscopy of a part-per-million impurity is limited in lateral resolution to ~ 1 μm. For a 1% impurity, lateral resolution of ~ 30 nm is achievable. Depth profile analysis at the ppm level requires sample areas ~ 10 μm². Isotope abundance determinations in volumes ~ …