New windowless EDS detectors designed specifically to collect low-energy X-rays (< 1 keV) and to work under ultra-low kV (< 3 kV) imaging conditions with the latest FE-SEMs offer new capabilities for elemental analysis.These capabilities include enhanced spatial resolution for the study of structures down to 10 nm or less, the characterization of surface features only 1-2 nm in thickness, the analysis of highly beam-sensitive or insulating materials, and much lower detection limits for light elements such as nitrogen and boron, as well as, for the first time, the detection of lithium.This offers an important breakthrough with potential for more detailed analysis of nano-materials, battery-and bio-materials, and semiconductors in the SEM.the Fe K-L 3 and L 3 -M 4 and M 5 X-ray transitions (dotted lines) as a function of the accelerating voltage [2].The range was calculated as the depth where 95% of the X-rays are emitted.The vertical dash lines indicate the critical ionization energy (E c ) of each X-ray transition.

Journal Article Flexible Grid Holder Enabling FIB-SEM Sample Prep and Analysis Get access C Hartfield, C Hartfield Oxford Instruments America, Concord, MA, USA Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar F Bauer F Bauer Oxford Instruments GmbH, Wiesbaden, Germany Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Microscopy and Microanalysis, Volume 22, Issue S3, 1 July 2016, Pages 162–163, https://doi.org/10.1017/S1431927616001665 Published: 25 July 2016

Journal Article Enhancing Materials and Device Analysis Capability in the SEM and FIB-SEM by using a Nanomanipulator Get access Matthew Hiscock, Matthew Hiscock Oxford Instruments Nanoanalysis, High Wycombe, United Kingdom Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Christian Lang, Christian Lang Oxford Instruments Nanoanalysis, High Wycombe, United Kingdom Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Peter Statham, Peter Statham Oxford Instruments Nanoanalysis, High Wycombe, United Kingdom Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Frank Bauer, Frank Bauer Oxford Instruments Nanoanalysis, Wiesbaden, Germany Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Cheryl Hartfield Cheryl Hartfield Oxford Instruments Nanoanalysis, Dallas, United States Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Microscopy and Microanalysis, Volume 22, Issue S3, 1 July 2016, Pages 16–17, https://doi.org/10.1017/S1431927616000933 Published: 25 July 2016

Journal Article Advances in the Analysis of Gunshot Residue and Other Trace Evidence using EDS and EBSD in the SEM Get access Frank Bauer, Frank Bauer Oxford Instruments Nanoanalysis, Wiesbaden, Germany and Country Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Matthew Hiscock, Matthew Hiscock Oxford Instruments Nanoanalysis, High Wycombe, United Kingdom Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Christian Lang Christian Lang Oxford Instruments Nanoanalysis, High Wycombe, United Kingdom Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Microscopy and Microanalysis, Volume 22, Issue S3, 1 July 2016, Pages 2046–2047, https://doi.org/10.1017/S1431927616011065 Published: 25 July 2016

Journal Article Quantitative Nano-Analysis of Superconducting Materials via SEM-FIB 3D-EDS Tomography Get access Giuseppe Pavia, Giuseppe Pavia Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Product Management Materials, Oberkochen, Germany Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Martin Kienle, Martin Kienle Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Product Management Materials, Oberkochen, Germany Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Ingo Schulmeyer, Ingo Schulmeyer Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Product Management Materials, Oberkochen, Germany Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Frank Bauer, Frank Bauer Oxford Instruments GmbH, Wiesbaden, Germany Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Marco Cantoni, Marco Cantoni EPFL, CIME, Lausanne, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Ken Lagarec Ken Lagarec FIBICS Incorporated, Ottawa, Canada Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Microscopy and Microanalysis, Volume 21, Issue S3, 1 August 2015, Pages 1341–1342, https://doi.org/10.1017/S1431927615007497 Published: 23 September 2015

SEM-based Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction (SEM-TKD) [1,2] is a technique variation of EBSD, applied here using an unmodified Oxford Instruments AZtec EBSD system. The advantage of SEMTKD is the collection of point and mapping data, from particles and electron transparent samples, at spatial resolutions which exceed those of traditional EBSD. This improvement is primarily a consequence of examining thin, electron transparent TEM samples in transmission, which reduces the effective diffraction and escape volume, as well as the use of zero to low sample tilts, reducing anisotropic beam spreading effects. Like EBSD, TKD may be used in conjunction with EDS for singlepoint, chemistry and crystallography-based phase identification. This is readily applicable to freestanding particles since the high spatial resolution is combined with a large solid angle of diffraction pattern capture, enabling automated indexing for any crystal orientation, for particle sizes down to the deep submicron scale. The technique is also used to produce 2D datasets from flat, thin sample areas, for microstructural analysis including crystallographic orientation, grain size, phase distribution, and grain boundary character and distribution

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) are well established techniques for the classification of gunshot residue (GSR) in forensic examinations. However, they are often not sufficient to clearly distinguish between GSR and environmental particles. Combining SEM and EDS with focused ion beam (FIB) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis, ZEISS Crossbeam instruments can provide more accurate and reliable GSR characterization

When producing slices from Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)(2) thin films for solar cells by use of a focused ion beam (FIB), agglomerates form on the Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)(2) surfaces, which deteriorate substantially the imaging and analysis in scanning electron microscopy. Similar problems are also experienced when depth-profiling Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)(2) thin films by means of glow-discharge or secondary ion mass spectrometry. The present work shows that the agglomerates are composed of (mainly) Cu, and that their formation may be impeded considerably by either cooling of the sample or by use of reactive gases during the ion-beam sputtering. The introduction of XeF(2) during FIB slicing resulted in excellent images, in which the microstructures of most layers in the Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)(2) thin film stack are visible, including the microstructure of the 20 nm thin MoSe(2) layer. Acquisition of high-quality two-dimensional and also three-dimensional electron backscatter diffraction data was possible. The present work gives a basis for enhanced SEM imaging and analysis not only in the case of Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)(2) thin films but also when dealing with further material systems exhibiting similar formations of agglomerates.

In order to continuously improve the performances of microelectronics devices through scaling, SiO2 is being replaced by high-k materials as gate dielectric; metal gates are replacing poly-Si. This leads to increasingly more complex stacks. For future generations, the replacement of Si as a substrate by Ge and/or III/V material is also considered. This also increases the demand on the metrology tools as a thorough characterization, including composition and thickness is thus needed. Many different techniques exist for composition analysis. They usually require however large area for the analysis, complex instrumentation and can be time consuming EDS (Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy) when coupled to Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) has the potential to allow fast analysis on small scale areas.In this work, we evaluate the possibilities of EDS for thin film analysis based on an intercomparison of composition analysis with different techniques. We show that using proper modeling, high quality quantitative composition and thickness of multilayers can be achieved.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2008 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, August 3 – August 7, 2008

In nanotechnology it is required to get information about thin layers and their chemical composition by very small lateral resolution. Thin film means a microscopically thin layer of material that is deposited onto a metal, ceramic or semiconductor substrate. Thin films having a thickness of less than 1 micron can be conductive or dielectric (non-conductive). Thin films can be used, for example, as top metal layer on a chip and multiple coating on magnetic disks. By means of FESSEM especially thin layers and structures in nanoscale can be observed and the elemental composition or thickness of each layers determined. It is quite difficult to realize small dimensions (e.g. 5-100 nm) and low thicknesses (1-100 nm) with a chemical composition that is mainly based on light elements. The experiments should show whether the EDS/ThinFimID method is suited for element identification and failure analysis.