Method and apparatus for surface diagnostics
First Claim
1. A method of analyzing a surface including unknown species of matter comprising the steps of:
- directing a probe beam at the surface to cause a sample of material to be removed therefrom;
directing a non-resonant ionizing beam of radiation at the removed sample proximate the surface, said ionizing beam having an intensity sufficient to induce non-resonant photo-ionization of said sample, whereby species of matter included in said sample will be non-selectively ionized; and
subjecting the ionized sample to mass-spectrometric analysis to determine the nature of said species.
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for mass spectral analysis of unknown species of matter present on a surface even in extremely low concentrations. A probe beam such as an ion beam, electron beam or laser is directed to the surface under examination to remove a sample of material. An untuned, high-intensity laser is directed to a spatial region proximate to the surface. The laser has sufficient intensity to induce a high degree of nonresonant, and hence non-selective, photoionization of the sample of material within the laser beam. The non-selectively ionized sample is then subjected to mass spectral analysis to determine the nature of the unknown species.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method of analyzing a surface including unknown species of matter comprising the steps of:
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directing a probe beam at the surface to cause a sample of material to be removed therefrom; directing a non-resonant ionizing beam of radiation at the removed sample proximate the surface, said ionizing beam having an intensity sufficient to induce non-resonant photo-ionization of said sample, whereby species of matter included in said sample will be non-selectively ionized; and subjecting the ionized sample to mass-spectrometric analysis to determine the nature of said species. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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7. A method of analyzing a surface including unknown species of matter comprising the steps of:
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directing a probe beam at the surface to cause a sample of material to be removed therefrom; directing a non-resonant ionizing beam of radiation at the removed sample proximate the surface, said ionizing beam having an intensity sufficient to induce non-resonant multi-photon ionization of said sample, whereby species of matter included in said sample will be non-selectively ionized; and subjecting the ionized sample to mass-spectrometric analysis to determine the nature of said species.
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13. A method of analyzing a surface with comparatively little damage thereto wherein a probe beam is directed at said surface to cause a sample of material to be removed therefrom for subsequent analysis, said method comprising the steps of:
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adjusting the intensity of said probe beam so as to remove only minute amounts of material from said surface, whereby minimal damage is done to said surface; directing a non-resonant ionizing beam of radiation at the removed sample in a spatial region proximate said surface, said ionizing beam having an intensity sufficient to induce non-resonant photoionization of said sample, whereby species of matter in said sample will be non-selectively ionized; and subjecting the ionized sample to mass spectral analysis to determine the nature of said unknown species.
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14. Apparatus for use in analyzing a surface including unknown species of matter comprising:
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probe beam means providing a probe beam directed at the surface under examination to cause a sample of material to be removed therefrom; ionizing beam means providing a non-resonant ionizing beam of radiation directed at a spatial region proximate said surface, and having an intensity sufficient to induce non-resonant photoionization of said sample in said spatial region, whereby species of matter included in said sample will be non-selectively ionized; and a mass spectrometer disposed with respect to said spatial region for analyzing the ionized sample. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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22. Apparatus for use in analyzing a surface of a specimen including unknown species of matter comprising:
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an evacuation chamber; mounting means disposed within said chamber for holding said specimen; probe beam means providing a probe beam directed at a surface of said specimen to cause a sample of material to be removed therefrom; ionizing beam means providing a non-resonant ionizing beam of radiation directed at a spatial region proximate said surface, said ionizing beam having an intensity sufficient to induce non-resonant photoionization of said sample in said spatial region, whereby species of matter included in said sample will be non-selectively ionized; wherein said evacuation chamber includes a field-free ion drift region; acceleration means disposed within said evacuation chamber for propelling the ionized sample across said drift region; and detector means disposed within said chamber for detecting the ionized sample exiting from said drift region, said above-named means being operatively connected for conducting time-of-flight mass spectral analysis of the ionized sample. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. Apparatus for use in analyzing a surface including unknown species of matter comprising:
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probe beam means providing a probe beam directed at the surface under examination to cause a sample of matreial to be removed therefrom; ionizing beam means providing non-resonant ionizin beam of radiation directed at a spatial region proximate said surface, and having an intensity sufficient to induce non-resonant multiphoton ionization of said sample in said spatial region, whereby species of matter included in said sample will be non-selectively ionized; and a mass spectrometer disposed with respect to said spatial region for analyzing the ionized sample. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. Apparatus for use in analyzing a surface of a specimen including unknown species of matter comprising:
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an evacuation chamber; mounting means disposed within said chamber for holding said specimen; probe beam means providing a probe beam directed at a surface of said specimen to cause a sample of material to be removed therefrom; ionizing beam means providing a non-resonant ionizing beam of radiation directed at a spatial region proximate said surface, said ionizing beam having an intensity sufficient to induce non-resonant multiphoton ionization of said sample in said spatial region, whereby species of matter included in said sample will be nonselectively ionized; wherein said evacuation chamber includes a field-free ion drift region; acceleration means disposed within said evacuation chamber for propelling the ionized sample across said drift region; ion reflector means disposed in operative association with said ion drift region so as to reflect said ionized sample toward said detector means; and detector means disposed within said chamber for detecting the ionized sample exiting from said drift region, said above-named means being operatively connected for conducting time-of-flight mass spectral analysis of the ionized sample.
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31. A method of analyzing a surface including unknown species of matter comprising the steps of:
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directing a probe beam at the surface to cause a sample of material to be removed therefrom; directing a non-resonant ionizing beam of radiation at the removed sample in an ionizing region proximate the surface, said ionizing beam having an intensity sufficient to induce saturated non-resonant multi-photon ionization of said sample in said ionizing region, whereby species of matter included in said sample will be non-selectively ionized; and subjecting the ionized sample to mass spectrometric analysis to determine the nature of said species. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification