(Materials Research Instrument Facility)

Surface and Thin-Film Analysis Laboratory of the Materials Research Instrument Facility (MRIF)

The STFAF provides surface analysis and develops working relationships with academic and industrial researchers here at SUNY and throughout Western New York. It plays an important role in the activities of a large number of researchers at SUNY at Buffalo and from a number of industrial organizations in the Western New York area. The staff maintains support for customers at varying levels of involvement. Qualified personnel can be trained to use instrumentation for work on long term projects or the facility staff will perform sample and data analysis.

Capabilities:

The Cluster is very well equipped with ultra high vacuum instrumentation ranging from X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) with heatable /coolable sample handling, reaction diameter and Low Energy Ion Scattering capabilities, to state-of-the-art Imaging Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (T0F-SIMS) with heatable/coolable sample probe and 2 micron lateral spatial resolution. Additional instrumentation includes a quadrupole SIMS with rapid sample introduction and a FTIR spectrometer with reflection/absorption and ATR attachments.

For quadrupole SIMS measurements the primary ion beam is generated with an Argon/Xenon gas ion gun. The instrument is used to depth profile samples where atomic constituents are of interest. Depth of analysis is approximately 1 nm. Depth analysis is possible to several hundred mm and concentrations in the ppm and ppb range are available, but are sample dependant.

For the ToF-SIMS measurements the primary ion beam is generated with a Cesium Liquid Metal ion gun. The ion gun is capable of producing an 8 KeV beam that can be pulsed at under one nanosecond and focused to 2 mm. Secondary ion fragments are mass separated with a reflectron type time-of-flight tube. The instrument is used to take surface mass spectra with a analysis depth of approximately 1 nm. Negative and Positive ions can be analyzed in the surveys, with chemical imaging and depth profiling modes with a usable mass range to 10,000 m/z. A mass resolution of 11,000 M/DM at 29m/z is attainable for selected samples. Mass spectral data analysis is performed on a Sun Sparc 10 station of PC. A heatable (+200°C) and coolable (-200°C) sample probe provides a full range of analysis temperatures. The ToF-SIMS can provide the user with basic mass spectral data which can be interpreted for chemical information about constituents in the ppm or ppb range. Surface concentration can be calculated for some samples with sufficient preliminary studies. The ion gun can be used to sputter samples for depth information. Chemical mapping can used to analyze areas of 100 µm to 200 µm for both atomic and molecular ions.

For the XPS measurements X-rays are generated with Mg and Ti targets. Ejected electrons are analyzed with a hemispherical analyzer capable of a resolution of 0.1 eV. Samples can be analyzed in a range of angles (relative to the analyzer) from 10° to 90° to provide varying degrees of surface sensitivity. Analysis depth of 1 nm to 20 nm are possible, but are samples dependant. A heatable (+200°C) and coolable (-200°C) sample probe provides a full range of analysis temperatures. This temperature probe has been recently updated to provide a full range of analysis angles. Depth profiling is accomplished with a He, Argon, or Neon gas ion gun. Data analysis is performed on a Physical Electronics Profession Computer. The XPS can provide the user with basic atomic surface concentrations, chemical information from peaks shifts due to chemical environment, and depth information by angle resolved experiments of ion gun sputtering.

Instrumentation:

1. Leybold-Heraeus LHS 10 Quadrupole Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer

2. Physical Electronics Model 7200 Imaging Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer

3. Physical Electronics Model 5300 X-Ray Photoelectron Spectrometer

4. Nicolet Magna 550 Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer

5. PC/Sun-based Network with writeable CD-ROM for data transfer analysis and storage

Charges: (See Attached)

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