Surface Analytical Services

Common Applications

• Materials properties engineering and validation
• Surface defects and contamination
• Failure analysis and process control
• Coatings and interfaces
• Thickness and composition
• Nanomaterials and thin films structural characterization  
• Metrological application
• Competitive analysis                                                                                                         

XPS - X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

• Quantitative elemental and chemical-state spectroscopy up to 10 nm below a material’s surface, which allows for probing film structures and buried interfaces 
• Angle-resolved analysis for non-destructive multi-layer film thickness measurements (AR-XPS)
• Inert sample transfer vessel for air-sensitive samples
• Monoatomic argon (Ar+) and argon gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) for optimized sputter depth-profiling of organics, inorganics, and mixed materials
• XPS analysis is performed on the PHI Quantes Scanning XPS/HAXPES Microprobe instrument with Al Kα X-ray source

HAXPES - Hard X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

• Quantitative elemental and chemical-state spectroscopy up to 30 nm below a material’s surface, which allows for probing thicker film structures and buried interfaces  
• HAXPES is a complementary technique available on the same instrument as XPS, allowing for analysis of the same region of interest on the sample surface
• Angle-resolved analysis for non-destructive multi-layer film thickness measurements (AR-HAXPES)
• Inert sample transfer vessel for air-sensitive samples
• Monoatomic argon (Ar+) and argon gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) for optimized sputter depth-profiling of organics, inorganics, and mixed materials
• HAXPES analysis is performed on the PHI Quantes Scanning XPS/HAXPES Microprobe instrument with Cr Kα X-ray source

AES - Auger Electron Spectroscopy

• Quantitative elemental spectroscopy and nanoscale surface imaging up to 10 nm below a material’s surface, which allows for probing film structures and buried interfaces
• SEM-like (scanning electron microscopy) imaging with spatial resolution < 8 nm
• AES is the nanoscale counterpart of the traditional SEM-EDS (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) technique
• Inert sample transfer vessel for air-sensitive samples
• Monoatomic argon (Ar+) sputter depth-profiling
• AES analysis is performed on the PHI 710 Multi-Technique Scanning Auger Nanoprobe

TOF-SIMS - Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

• Surface mass spectrometry, elemental & molecular imaging, and trace analysis
• Spatial resolution < 70 nm with 1-2 nm sampling depth below a material’s surface
• Detection limit of parts per million (PPM) and parts per billion (PPB)
• Inert sample transfer vessel for air-sensitive samples
• Multiple ion beams available for optimized sputter depth-profiling of organics, inorganics, and mixed materials: cesium (Cs+), oxygen (O2+), monoatomic argon (Ar+), gas cluster ion beam (GCIB)
• Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS or MS2) for unambiguous peak identification
• TOF-SIMS analysis is performed on the PHI nanoTOF II instrument