Carl Zeiss ORION Plus Helium-Ion-Microscope Now Offers Structural and Compositional Analysis in Addition to Sub-Nanometre Resolution Imaging: New SPECTRA detector provides ability to characterize bulk materials at the nanometre scale, adding even more unique information about the sample.
Carl Zeiss SMT, a leading global provider of optical and particle-beam inspection, analysis and measuring equipment, has introduced a powerful new detector for the ORION Plus helium-ion microscope. Called the SPECTRA, the new detector adds structural and compositional analysis capabilities to the sub-nanometre resolution imaging offered by the ORION Plus instrument. The SPECTRA detector extends the analytical capability currently available on high resolution imaging instruments and provides information that is unique and complementary to that from existing techniques. The new SPECTRA detector was demonstrated live via a remote connection at the Pittcon 2009 Exposition in Chicago on March 9-12.
According to Rainer Knippelmeyer, senior vice president of Carl Zeiss SMT Inc., "The unique combination of ion scattering spectroscopy and sub-nanometre resolution microscopy is an exciting development that opens the door to new, so far unexplored applications in materials analysis and process control. With this technique, we have been able to demonstrate high energy RBS-like film thickness measurements without the need for a particle accelerator, and at the nanometre scale."
The centerpiece of the SPECTRA analysis package is a solid-state detector optimized for the detection of backscattered helium. This new materials characterization technique, which is similar to other ion scattering techniques, uses the properties of backscattered helium - specifically their energy and angle - to determine the mass of the scattering nuclei within the sample.
Also included in the detector package are data-processing and data-communication electronics, a data-acquisition PC, and all necessary mechanical, electrical and software interfaces to allow seamless integration with the ORION Plus helium-ion microscope. The microscope operator is in full control of the workflow, allowing rapid switching between imaging and analysis tasks. Flexibility and ease of use enable high sample throughput.
