Broadening the applications of the atom probe technique by ultraviolet femtosecond laser

Laser assisted field evaporation using ultraviolet (UV) wavelength gives rise to better mass resolution and signal-to-noise ratio in atom probe mass spectra of metals, semiconductors and insulators compared to infrared and green lasers. Combined with the site specific specimen preparation techniques using the lift-out and annular Ga ion milling in a focused ion beam machine, a wide variety of materials including insulating oxides can be quantitatively analyzed by the three-dimensional atom probe using UV laser assisted field evaporation. After discussing laser irradiation conditions for optimized atom probe analyses, recent atom probe tomography results on oxides, semiconductor devices and grain boundaries of sintered magnets are presented.

Research highlights
► Application of ultraviolet (UV) femtosecond pulsed laser in a three dimensional atom probe (3DAP).
► Improved mass resolution and signal-to-noise ratio in atom probe mass spectra using UV laser.
► UV laser facilitates 3DAP analysis of insulating oxides.
► Quantitative analysis of wide variety of materials including insulating oxides using UV femotosecond laser.