Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy Time-of-Flight Spectroscopy Using 20 keV Helium Ions

Abstract

Scanning transmission ion microscopy imaging was performed whilst using a delay-line detector to record the impact position and arrival time of transmitted ions or neutrals. The incident helium ion beam had an energy of 20 keV and the arrival time measurements were used to calculate the energy loss after transmission through the sample. The 5D dataset thus produced (2D position in the sample plane, 2D position in the detector plane, and energy) is analyzed by collection into energy spectra or images. It is demonstrated that ion energy loss maps can identify regions of identical materials in the sample plane. The behavior of the energy loss with respect to the scattering angle is calculated and these simulations agree with the experimentally measured results. This experiment demonstrates the capability of keV helium ions to be successfully used in energy loss imaging experiments. This is the first step in the development of keV scanning transmission ion microscopy energy loss techniques.

Plasmon Excitation in the Interaction of Slow Singly Charged Argon Ions with Magnesium

“…Charge exchange and electronic excitations in the interaction of slow ions with solids are currently the subject of an intense investigation [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. These processes are important in charge fraction formation, in energy deposition in solids and in several applications such as microscopy and characterization of materials.…”