During the past two decades, there have been tremendous developments in near-field imaging and local probing techniques. Examples are the Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Near-field Scanning Optical Microscope (NSOM), Photon Scanning Tunneling Microscope (PSTM), and Scanning Thermal Microscope (SThM).Results showed that the average reflectance for a dopant con...

We describe a novel secondary-electron ion microscope (SEIM), designed for diagnostics of the upcoming submicron Columbia University charged-particle microbeam. This secondary-electron ion microscope allows much higher resolutions, at higher single particle detection efficiencies, than previously available, for rapid and accurate diagnostics of sub-micron charged-particle beams. Based on ion el...

Focused ion beam tomography has proven to be capable of imaging porous structures on a nano-scale. However, due to shine-through artefacts, common segmentation algorithms often lead to severe dislocation of individual structures in z-direction. Recently, a number of approaches have been developed, which take into account the specific nature of focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope image...

We report the integration of a scanning force microscope with ion beams. The scanning probe images surface structures non-invasively and aligns the ion beam to regions of interest. The ion beam is transported through a hole in the scanning probe tip. Piezoresistive force sensors allow placement of micromachined cantilevers close to the ion beam lens. Scanning probe imaging and alignment is demo...

The surface topography developed on copper-based and ferrous alloys after being sputtered in a glow discharge lamp and in an ion microprobe was studied by means of a scanning electron microscope and an ion microprobe mass analyser. The observed surface topography, though obtained under completely different conditions, was found to be similar to that predicted by the theory of Stewart and Thompson.

Scanning Ion Conductance Microscopy, it’s development, design and use are introduced. The theory behind modelling ion current flow into the SICM probe tip and the problems involved with analytically modelling the current flow are then briefly discussed. A numerical simulation using the Finite Difference Method is then used to model the current flow as the microscope probe tip approaches a flat ...