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Updated: Jul 16, 2026
08:14
Atom Probe Tomography Analysis of Exsolved Mineral Phases
Published on: October 25, 2019
Performance of local electrodes in the local electrode atom probe
K F Russell1, M K Miller, R M Ulfig
1Material Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6136, USA.
Ultramicroscopy
|April 3, 2007
Summary
Local electrode failure in atom probe tomography is often caused by specimen fracture, leading to material transfer and electrical discharge. Electrode lifetime depends on debris characteristics, not just data volume.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Surface Science
Background:
- Local electrode atom probe tomography (APT) offers advantages in data acquisition speed and field of view.
- Specimen fracture during APT analysis can lead to local electrode damage, compromising instrument performance.
- Understanding failure mechanisms is crucial for optimizing APT workflows and preserving instrument integrity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causes and consequences of local electrode failure during atom probe tomography.
- To identify factors influencing the lifetime of local electrodes subjected to specimen fracture.
- To characterize material transfer and deposition on local electrodes post-specimen failure.
Main Methods:
- Examination of specimens and local electrodes before and after failure events.
- Analysis of failed specimens using energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) in a scanning electron microscope (SEM).
- Correlation of local electrode lifetime with specimen failure modes and debris characteristics.
Main Results:
- Specimen fracture often resulted in melted material deposited on the local electrode surface, verified by EDS.
- Brittle material remnants were found embedded in local electrodes after fracture.
- Failure was attributed to electrical discharge or uncontrolled field emission triggered by specimen rupture features.
- Local electrode lifetime was primarily determined by debris shape and position, not ion count or number of specimens analyzed.
- Local electrodes with smaller apertures exhibited higher susceptibility to failure.
Conclusions:
- Specimen fracture is a significant cause of local electrode damage in APT, primarily through material transfer and electrical discharge.
- The geometry and placement of debris from specimen failure critically impact local electrode longevity.
- Optimizing specimen preparation and understanding failure modes can enhance the durability of local electrodes in APT systems.
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