Methods and devices for improving atom probe detector performance
AssigneeCameca Instruments, Inc.
InventorsThomas F. Kelly, Daniel R. Lenz, Scott A. Wiener
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An atom probe includes a detector which registers the time of flight of ions evaporated from a specimen, as well as the positions on the detector at which the ions impact and the kinetic energies of the ions. The detected position allows the original locations of the ions on the specimen to be mapped, and the times of flight and kinetic energies can be spectrally analyzed (e.g., binned into sets of like values) to determine the elemental identities of the ions. The use of kinetic energy data as well as time of flight data can allow more accurate identification of composition than where time of flight data are used alone, as in traditional atom probes.
Claims25
A method including the steps of:
- a. inducing ionization of atoms from a specimen,
- b. detecting the kinetic energies of the ionized atoms at a detector having an area spaced from the specimen;
- c. measuring the times of flight of the ionized atoms between the specimen and the detector;
- d. identifying the elemental identities of at least some of the ionized atoms from their times of flight and kinetic energies.
A method including the steps of:
- a. inducing ionization of atoms from a specimen during ionization periods spaced in time,
- b. at a detector having an area spaced from the specimen, obtaining measurements indicative of:
- (1) the kinetic energy of any ionized atoms, and
- (2) the time of flight of any ionized atom,
- the measurements being obtained following the ionization periods;
- c. determining groups of measurements having at least substantially the same times of flight and kinetic energies, thereby establishing a spectrum;
- d. at least partially determining the composition of the specimen from the spectrum.
A method including the steps of:
- a. supplying energy to a specimen, the energy being sufficient to ionize an atom from the specimen,
- b. providing a detector having an area situated to receive the ion from the specimen;
- c. measuring an output from the detector, wherein the detector output encodes:
- (1) the arrival time at which the ion is received on the detector,
- (2) the arrival location on the area of the detector on which the ion is received, and
- (3) the kinetic energy of the ion.
An atom probe including:
- a. a specimen mount configured to:
- (1) receive a specimen thereon, and
- (2) supply energy to the specimen, the energy being at least partially sufficient to ionize atoms from the specimen;
- b. a detector:
- (1) having an area situated to receive ions from the specimen, and
- (2) configured to provide a detector output encoding:
- (a) the arrival time at which the ions are received on the detector,
- (b) the arrival location on the area of the detector on which the ions are received, and
- (c) the kinetic energy of the ions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.