Method and apparatus for local surface analysis
US6809317B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 6, 2002 |
| Grant date | Oct 26, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 6, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N19/06
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention is related to a method and apparatus for performing a surface analysis of a sample by mass spectrometry. According to one aspect of the invention, the ions necessary for the spectrometry are produced by a probe beam, which is preferably an electron beam, in combination with a gas mixture comprising at least a reactive gas component. Due to the interaction of the probe beam with the reactive gas and the surface atoms, reactions take place between the surface atoms and the reactive gas molecules, resulting in volatile compounds being released from the surface. One or more laser beams cause the ionization of these compounds, after which the resulting ions are accelerated towards a mass spectrometer. The method and apparatus allow an accurate depth profiling of a test sample to be performed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.