KENBIKYO Vol.48▶No.3 2013
â– Feature Articles: Novel Microscopic Characterization Techniques Using Nanoscale Ion Probes

Three Dimensional Nano Scale Image Analysis of Organic Materials Using TOF-SIMS

Shin-ichi Iida

Abstract: TOF-SIMS (Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) is widely used as a highly sensitive surface analysis technique to obtain the information of elements and molecular species, and is the only technique to identify the molecular distribution at sub-micron scale. However, it was impossible to analyze the molecular distribution underneath the surface, because of the damage of the molecular structures during sputtering of the surface layers. Recently, C60 and Ar-gas cluster ions have been proved to cause minimum damage to the molecular structure during sputtering, and their ion guns have been developed for commercial use. They provide us the three dimensional information of molecular species beneath the surface layer. In this article, two-dimensional (2D) molecular imaging using TOF-SIMS will be discussed, and then the applications of three-dimensional (3D) molecular imaging of polymer film will be presented.

Key words: TOF-SIMS, Organic Materials, 3D Image, Cluster Ions