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In Situ Detection and Single Cell Quantification of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Using Nuclear Microprobe Analysis
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Published on: February 3, 2018

Is microanalysis possible in the helium ion microscope?

David C Joy1, Brendan J Griffin

  • 1Electron Microscopy Facility, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-0840, USA. djoy@utk.edu

Microscopy and Microanalysis : the Official Journal of Microscopy Society of America, Microbeam Analysis Society, Microscopical Society of Canada
|July 9, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The ORION helium ion microscope (HIM) offers limited chemical analysis. While promising techniques exist, reliable element identification and quantification across the periodic table are not yet guaranteed for HIM microanalysis.

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Microscopy
  • Analytical Chemistry

Background:

  • Chemical microanalysis is crucial for modern microscopy.
  • The ORION helium ion microscope (HIM) presents new possibilities for microanalysis.
  • Current HIM capabilities offer only qualitative chemical information.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the chemical microanalysis capabilities of the ORION helium ion microscope (HIM).
  • To evaluate the potential of various spectroscopic techniques for quantitative elemental analysis in HIM.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of ion induced secondary electron imaging.
  • Rutherford backscattered imaging.
  • Evaluation of secondary electron spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattered ion spectroscopy, and secondary ion mass spectroscopy for HIM.

Main Results:

  • The HIM can visualize local chemical variations qualitatively using secondary electron and Rutherford backscattered imaging.
  • Secondary electron spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattered ion spectroscopy, and secondary ion mass spectroscopy show promise for quantitative microanalysis in HIM.
  • None of the evaluated methods currently guarantee reliable element identification or quantification across the periodic table.

Conclusions:

  • The ORION HIM has potential for chemical microanalysis, but current methods are limited.
  • Further development is needed to achieve reliable and quantitative elemental analysis in HIM.
  • Future research should focus on improving element identification and quantification across the periodic table for HIM applications.