Field Ion Microscopy

Best Image Conditions in Field Ion Microscopy

The Field Ion Microscope image quality is dependent on operational ? which can be adjusted in order to improve resolution and contrast, he best image operation conditions are discussed with the aim to define them quantitatively. To do so, a JWKB calculation for the ionization distribution is used and a new interpretation of the best image conditions is proposed. An approximate range for the bes...

Computerized Imaging System for Field Ion Microscopy

Nanoscale Microstructural Analyses by Atom Probe Field Ion Microscopy

Recent progress in atom probe field ion microscopy (APFIM) and its applications to nanoscale microstructural studies of metallic materials are reviewed. By employing a three dimensional atom probe (3DAP), it is possible to map out elemental distributions in the real space with almost an atomic resolution, and chemical analysis of interfaces and nanoparticles can be made with improved accuracy i...

Field Ion Microscopy for the Characterization of Scanning Probes

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) is a widely used tool for investigating the nanoscale structure of materials, as well as their electronic and mechanical properties with its related spectroscopic modes of operation. In SPM experiments, the sharp tip which probes the material under investigation is usually uncharacterized; however, its geometry and chemical composition play a large role in the SP...

Studies of Negative Field Ion Microscopy with Tetracyanoethylene

Negative ion images generated by tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) under inverted field conditions in a field ion microscope have been investigated in more detail. The experiments confirm previous findings / I / and reveal further unique ionization phenomena such as the discontinuous development of ring structures in the ion image, the oscillation of rings in size and switching between different ion em...