Surface Analysis by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS): Principles and Applications from Swiss laboratories
Johanna Marin‐CarbonneAndrás KissAnne‐Sophie BouvierAnders MeibomLukas P. BaumgartnerThomas BovayFlorent PlaneStéphane EscrigDaniela Rubatto
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Abstract:
Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) extracts chemical, elemental, or isotopic information about a localized area of a solid target by performing mass spectrometry on secondary ions sputtered from its surface by the impact of a beam of charged particles. This primary beam sputters ionized atoms and small molecules (as well as many neutral particles) from the upper few nanometers of the sample surface. The physical basis of SIMS has been applied to a large range of applications utilizing instruments optimized with different types of mass analyzer, either dynamic SIMS with a double focusing mass spectrometer or static SIMS with a Time of Flight (TOF) analyzer. Here, we present a short review of the principles and major applications of three different SIMS instruments located in Switzerland.Keywords:
Nanometre
Hybrid mass spectrometer
Matrix (chemical analysis)
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Partial table of contents: PLENARY LECTURES Biosurfaces: A Communications Link Between Solids and Cells (B. Ratner) INVITED LECTURES Cluster Emission in Sputtering (A. Wucher & M. Wahl) IMAGING Analysis of an LCD Device by SIMS (T. Yamamoto, et al.) SPUTTERING AND ION FORMATION Competitive Oxygen Enhancement (E. Brown & P. Williams) DATA PROCESSING SIMS - On the Internet (R. Lareau, et al.) DEPTH PROFILING Depth Resolution Parameters and Separability (M. Dowsett) SURFACE ANALYSIS The Characterization of Fluorolubricants on 8mm Video Tape by TOF-SIMS (T. Hoshi & M. Tozu) SEMICONDUCTORS/MICROELECTRONICS Altered Layer Formation in SiGe (W. De Coster, et al.) MOLECULAR OVERLAYERS Combined SXM/SIMS Investigation of Damage Effects in Molecular Overlayers (G. Becker, et al.) QUANTIFICATION Statistical Process Control (SPC) for SIMS (R. Hockett, et al.) ORGANIC MATERIAL/POLYMERS TOF-SIMS Analysis of a Bio-Polymer (F. Lang, et al.) POSTIONIZATION Quantification of B and As Depth Profiles with Resonant Post-Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (P. De Bisschop, et al.) LIFE SCIENCES Determination of Cyclosporine Metabolites by TOF-SIMS (K. Meyer, et al.) MATERIAL SCIENCES SIMS Analysis of Nitrided Iron and Steel (T. Wu, et al.) MISCELLANEOUS Detection of Mineral Collectors by TOF-LIMS (S. Chryssoulis, et al.) COMBINED TECHNIQUES Quantification and Standardization of LIMS Analysis of Mineral Surfaces (S. Dimov & S. Chryssoulis) MOLECULAR SIMS: ION FORMATION Images of Biologic Tissue Beyond the Static SIMS Limit (P. Todd, et al.) MOLECULAR SIMS: APPLICATIONS Imaging of Langmuir Blodgett Layers by TOF-SIMS (H. Rulle, et al.) INSTRUMENTATION A New Setup for Accelerator-SIMS (R. Ender, et al.).
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A high-performance research-oriented secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS), based on a double-focusing mass spectrometer, has been designed, constructed, and evaluated. This instrument is relatively free of some of the instrumental limitations associated with conventional molecular SIMS instrumentation such as energy and mass discrimination. Theoretical design considerations and its construction are discussed. Its performance has been evaluated in various operational modes using a variety of samples and some important instrumental parameters are reported. Finally, the novel and outstanding high-mass capability of this SIMS instrument is demonstrated.
Instrumentation
Hybrid mass spectrometer
High mass
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Hybrid mass spectrometer
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Abstract Many important processes, such as corrosion, catalysis, adhesion, and biocompatibility, depend on the composition of the surface or interfacial region. The focus of this article is surface applications of secondary ion mass spectrometry ( SIMS ). In SIMS, a sample is introduced into an ultrahigh vacuum ( UHV ) chamber and bombarded by a primary ion beam. The impact of the primary ion results in the desorption (sputtering) of neutral species, electrons, and secondary ions from the surface of the sample. The secondary ions are mass‐analyzed. SIMS experiments are typically carried out in either a dynamic or a static mode. Historically, the two modes were distinguished on the basis of the primary ion dose ( PID ). Dynamic SIMS uses high PIDs and is generally used for elemental depth‐profiling. Static SIMS uses low PIDs (≤1 × 10 12 ions cm −2 ) and is generally used for the molecular characterization of surfaces; however, the introduction of primary ion cluster sources is extending the static SIMS limit. The advantages of SIMS include high sensitivity, the ability to obtain molecular information, isotopic analysis, imaging, and the analysis of low‐atomic‐number elements such as H and Li.
Polyatomic ion
Characterization
Secondary electrons
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The factors that limit the depth resolution in SIMS are discussed and experimental strategies for overcoming these limitations and achieving sub-nanometre depth resolution explored. Beam induced mixing processes are shown to be the main limitation to sub-nanometre depth resolution in some materials whereas surface and beam induced topography dominate in others. The development of a new generation of low energy ion beams and of novel analysis strategies such as the 'bevel-and-linescan' approach and the imaging of focused-ion-beam (FIB) milled cross-sections are described.
Nanometre
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Fast atom bombardment
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In many secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) investigations, the total number of generated secondary ions is limited by the amount of sample material available. This is the case in surface reaction studies as well as in organic and inorganic trace analysis or imaging SIMS. In such cases a time-of-flight mass spectrometer has some considerable advantages: quasisimultaneous detection of all masses, unlimited mass range, and very high transmission. We have developed a high-resolution reflectron based time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometer with a new electrodynamic mass separation and beam chopping technique based on a pulsed 90° deflection of the primary ion beam. A primary ion pulse width of less than 1.5 ns has been obtained. Second-order energy focusing in the flight path of the secondary ions is achieved by a two-stage reflectron. A mass resolution m/Δm=13 000 and a dynamic range of five orders of magnitude have been obtained with this instrument.
Reflectron
Time-of-Flight
Hybrid mass spectrometer
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Fast atom bombardment
Polyatomic ion
Particle (ecology)
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Auger electron spectroscopy
Electron spectroscopy
Secondary electrons
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