Atom-probe field ion microscopy is currently the only technique capable of imaging solid surfaces with atomic resolution, and at the same time of chemically analyzing surface atoms selected by the observer from the field ion image. Field ion microscopy has been successfully used to study most metals and many alloys, and recently good field ion images of some semiconductors and even ceramic materials such as high temperature superconductors have been obtained. Although other microscopies are capable of achieving the same resolution, there are some experiments unique to field ion microscopy--for example the study of the behavior of single atoms and clusters on a solid surface. The very elegant development of the field ion microscope with the atom-probe has provided a powerful and useful technique for highly sensitive chemical analysis. This book presents the basic principles of atom-probe field ion microscopy and illustrates the various capabilities of the technique in the study of solid surfaces and interfaces at atomic resolution.

Despite the recent progress in developing various microanalytical tools of better spatial resolution and more sensitivity to chemical analyses for the study of various defects in metallic solids the Field-Ion Microscope (FIM) still remains the only instrument up to now to resolve single atoms in the surface of a metal. Fifteen years after Milller!) invented the FIM he was also the first to combine the FIM with a time-of-flight (ToF) mass spectrometer - the so-called Atom-Probe FlM - to identify the chemical nature of single atoms imaged in the FIM2). Originally the motivation to develop the ToF atom probe was to use this method to obtain some more fundamental understanding of field ionization and field evaporation, the most basic physical processes in field-ion microscopy. Even after the successful combination of a FIM with a ToF atom probe had been accomplished, the technique was rarely applied to metallurgical investigations since for a fairly long period only refractory metals such as tungsten, molybdenum, iridium, etc. could be imaged in the FIM. How ever, these metals do not playa very important role in metallurgy. Only when Turner et 3 al. ) substituted the conventional phosphorescent screen of the field-ion microscope with micro-channel electron multiplier arrays, termed micro channel plates, did it become possible to image in the FIM the less refractory metals like Fe, Cu, Ni and even AI.

Atom Probe Tomography is aimed at beginners and researchers interested in expanding their expertise in this area. It provides the theoretical background and practical information necessary to investigate how materials work using atom probe microscopy techniques, and includes detailed explanations of the fundamentals, the instrumentation, contemporary specimen preparation techniques, and experimental details, as well as an overview of the results that can be obtained. The book emphasizes processes for assessing data quality and the proper implementation of advanced data mining algorithms. For those more experienced in the technique, this book will serve as a single comprehensive source of indispensable reference information, tables, and techniques. Both beginner and expert will value the way the book is set out in the context of materials science and engineering. In addition, its references to key research outcomes based upon the training program held at the University of Rouen—one of the leading scientific research centers exploring the various aspects of the instrument—will further enhance understanding and the learning process. Provides an introduction to the capabilities and limitations of atom probe tomography when analyzing materials Written for both experienced researchers and new users Includes exercises, along with corrections, for users to practice the techniques discussed Contains coverage of more advanced and less widespread techniques, such as correlative APT and STEM microscopy

Helium Ion Microscopy: Principles and Applications describes the theory and discusses the practical details of why scanning microscopes using beams of light ions – such as the Helium Ion Microscope (HIM) – are destined to become the imaging tools of choice for the 21st century. Topics covered include the principles, operation, and performance of the Gaseous Field Ion Source (GFIS), and a comparison of the optics of ion and electron beam microscopes including their operating conditions, resolution, and signal-to-noise performance. The physical principles of Ion-Induced Secondary Electron (iSE) generation by ions are discussed, and an extensive database of iSE yields for many elements and compounds as a function of incident ion species and its energy is included. Beam damage and charging are frequently outcomes of ion beam irradiation, and techniques to minimize such problems are presented. In addition to imaging, ions beams can be used for the controlled deposition, or removal, of selected materials with nanometer precision. The techniques and conditions required for nanofabrication are discussed and demonstrated. Finally, the problem of performing chemical microanalysis with ion beams is considered. Low energy ions cannot generate X-ray emissions, so alternative techniques such as Rutherford Backscatter Imaging (RBI) or Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) are examined.