In time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), a primary ion beam is used to produce monatomic and polyatomic particles (secondary ions) from the sample surface. The technique is used to characterize the surface and sub-surface region of materials based on m/z ratio measurement of ejected particles under ion bombardment. The mass of the emitted ions is analyzed using a mass spectrometer. As the ion beam creates a crater in the sample, the distribution of different species within the sample volume can be recorded. We can achieve a lateral resolution of a few hundred nanometers and a depth resolution of a few monolayers. In order to quantify the absolute concentration of the elements in the sample, it is necessary to compare the analysis results to standards.

Capabilities

• Analysis of a RRAM stack
• Diffusion of Si in AL₂O₃

This is an instrument within the Dresden Fraunhofer Cluster Nanoanalysis (DFCNA).