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CAMECA e-newsletter - Issue Nr 4 - April 2010
Welcome to the 4th issue of the CAMECA electronic newsletter. We are pleased to inform you of recent product developments and applications, collaborative programs and upcoming events. We hope you will find this newsletter useful, and we also invite you to our fully revamped web site: www.cameca.com is filled with new application examples, updated instrument descriptions and new technical notes.
News from our SIMS product line: Magnetic & Quad SIMS, NanoSIMS...
CAMECA INTRODUCES THE IMS 1280-HR The new IMS 1280-HR model will combine the well-proven features of the standard IMS 1280 with new developments oriented towards specific applications in Geosciences requiring very high mass resolution capabilities both in mono and multicollection modes: redesigned coupling and magnet sections, enhanced magnetic field stability, etc... Preliminary data on the left show the improved transmission obtained in monocollection mode and at very high mass resolution: MRP (10%) > 32,000. A prototype has been installed at CRPG Nancy, France, joining the IMS 1270 instrument in operation in this prestigious earth & planetary science research center. A collaboration with CRPG will alllow us to further develop this new IMS 1280-HR model. First data will be presented at the next Goldschmidt conference, in Knoxville, TN, USA, June 13-18. SIMS Applications to SEMICONDUCTOR R&D - SiGe structures: An optimized protocol for accurate depth profile quantification with CAMECA Mag & Quad SIMS High performance CMOS logic designs have utilized so-called ?Strained-Si? techniques to enhance device performance. The chemical composition and layer thickness can be accurately measured by SIMS provided that analytical protocol and data quantification are well addressed. Sputter rate and ion yield are known to vary with the Ge concentration. However optimal sputtering conditions can minimize these effects and therefore lead to straightforward data quantification using the CAMECA WinCurve data processing software. Ion beam O2+ Impact energy 1keV Incidence angle 40? (Mag) 0? (Quad) O2 backfilling 40?: Yes (5e-6 Torr) 0?: No (1e-9 Torr) SR in Si ~2 nm/min The CAMECA SIMS Application Laboratory has analyzed a series of six Si1-xGex structures, with a nominal Ge at% value varying from 5 to 40%. The detailed sputtering conditions are reported in the table on the left. One of the six samples has been used as a reference. The relative variation of Sputter rate as a function of Ge at% shown in the same graph (left hand scale) must be taken into account for SiGe layers quantification in order to achieve ultimate accuracy. The perfect data correlation for Ge at%(SIMS) vs. Ge at%(nominal) demonstrates that the optimization of the analytical conditions together with a suitable data quantification protocol can give access to accurate quantitative SIMS depth profiles with a single reference sample. NanoSIMS 50 / 50L: LATEST INSTRUMENTAL DEVELOPMENTS Among the latest improvements on the NanoSIMS 50/50L instruments: - a cold stage, compatible with the existing chamber, is currently being tested: primarily developed for the analysis of volatile sample, it can also greatly facilitate the analysis of frozen hydrated biological samples by avoiding chemical preparation. - new ultra low energy pre-implantation mode: bombarding with Cs or O ions at a few tens eV will enhance the sensitivity of nm-thin surfacic layers that are otherwise sputtered before optimum ionization is achieved. For more information one these new developments, do not hesitate to contact your local CAMECA subsidiary or agent.	IMS 1280:CONFIRMED LEADERSHIP  IN NUCLEAR FORENSICS The recent purchase of an Ultra High Sensitivity Ion Microprobe IMS 1280 by the Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU Karlsruhe, Germany) confirms CAMECA's undisputed leadership in the field of nuclear particle analysis. More information on Nuclear Particle Analysis with the IMS 1280 at this link. CHECKERBOARD OPTION for IMS 7f & IMS Wf/SCU Well known from the CAMECA Quadrupole SIMS users, Checkerboard Gating functionalities are now also available on magnetic sector IMS Wf/SCU and IMS 7f under PC Automation. The Checkerboard option greatly improves the quality of your depth profiling data and the throughput of your instrument. The new Checkerboard technical note will be sent to you on request. PC AUTOMATION UPGRADE for the IMS 6f Available for all IMS 6f instruments currently equipped with a SUN workstation, the IMS 6f PC-Automation Upgrade provides interactive instrument control and easy tuning, unattended operation and powerful data and image processing (includes both WinCurve and WinImage software packages). Send us an email to request the new PC-Automation Upgrade flyer! You may also contact your local subsidiary or agent for an upgrade offer. NanoSIMS 50L: A HANDFUL  OF NEW CUSTOMERS We've had the great pleasure to welcome 4 prestigious institutions as new customers of our NanoSIMS 50L model: -> ASU (Arizona State University), USA: Under leadership from SIMS expert Pr. Peter Williams, the instrument will serve a wide range of applications in geology, materials as well as biology. -> IGGCAS Beijing (Institute of Geoscience of the Chinese Academy of Science), under leadership from Pr Lin Yang-Ting, already IMS 1280 user. -> Stanford University, CA, USA: run by SIMS expert Dr Chuck Hitzman, the NanoSIMS lab will conduct research in a a broad range of applications (geology, materials, biology and medicine) -> TUM (Technical  University of Munchen), Germany: this is the first NanoSIMS purchased for soil studies.
News from our EPMA instruments: SX 100 and SX 100-R
PEAKSIGHT: NEW RELEASE 4.2 Version 4.2 of our EPMA Automation & Analysis Software PeakSight was just released! Among the new features... - Multiple result display: Up to 8 types of numerical results can be displayed simultaneously in column format and transferred directly into Excel format - Background offsets for Quantitative analysis may be interactively selected within a WDS spectrum - Image Mixer: BSE image and X ray maps can be displayed simultaneously and mixed as on the left side image. - Markers of the satellite X ray lines and absorption edges are available when X ray spectrum is processed. For more information on upgrades, please contact your local subsidiary or agent.	RECENT EPMA ORDERS -> We are pleased to welcome yet another SX 100 customer from India: Pondicherry University will use the instrument for research in earth sciences and physics. -> More orders in the field of geology and mineralogy came from Geological Survey of India (Faridabad & Hyderabad sites), Panstwowy Instytut Geologiczny, Poland, University of California at Santa Barbara and University of Arizona, USA.
LA-WATAP: Laser-Assisted 3D Atom Probe
3D ATOM PROBE: NEW APPLICATION IN ASTROPHYSICS Preliminary results acquired with the CAMECA LA-WATAP 3D Atom Probe on presolar SiC grains and synthetic SiC grains were presented by Dr. Philipp R. Heck (University of Chicago) at the 41th Lunar & Planetary Science Conference. Above: sub-grain enrichment in SiC2 on a 50x50x72nm3 sample. 3D Atom Probe provides outstanding capabilities to characterize both elemental and isotopic composition of nm-scale volumes of electrically insulating materials.	NEW CUSTOMERS, UPCOMING EVENTS... -> The CEA-LETI in Grenoble, France recently placed an order for the latest model in our LA-WATAP series. World leading nanotechnology research center, CEA-LETI is already user of CAMECA magnetic sector SIMS instruments. CEA-LETI will use CAMECA's wide angle, high mass resolution 3D Atom Probe for the development of advanced semiconductor electronics and photovoltaic materials and structures. -> CAMECA will be Silver Sponsor of the next IFES 2010 meeting to be held in Sydney, Australia next July.
Shallow Probe LEXFAB-300 Semiconductor Metrology Tool
THE REFERENCE TOOL FOR ULTRA SHALLOW DOPANT MONITORING Thanks to its remarkable stability, the CAMECA Shallow Probe LEXFAB-300 is the ideal tool for continuous implant monitoring. In the example below, measurements of Boron doses in Si were performed over 9 months on the same wafer, showing an average repeatability of 0.6%, with Boron dose variations by only 0.7%. For more results, you may request the new Application Note "Ultra Shallow Dopant Metrology with the CAMECA Shallow Probe". A recent study in collaboration with IBS (Ion Beam Services) on B plasma doped low energy high dose implants will be unveiled at the upcoming IIT 2010 conference in Kyoto. The presentation will be available on request.	HIGH K, N METROLOGY & EPITAXIAL LAYERS The CAMECA LEXES research team has started a new collaboration with the "Film Metrology" group of ISMI / SEMATECH, Albany, NY. Main focus is on High K, various SiON, SiN and W. Our LEXFAB-300 system has reached a new milestone: recent sales in Asia and in the US confirm LEXES as a leading technology for process control of epitaxial SiGe:B layers and ultra shallow implants at 32nm.
CAMECA 2010 conference schedule: Mark your calendars!
Next on the agenda (1st semester): Apr 12-14: Experimental Mineralogy Petrology Geochemistry, Toulouse, France Apr 25-28: EMAS Regional Workshop, Amsterdam, Netherlands May 16-21: SIMS Workshop, Norfolk, VA, USA May 24-26: ASMicrobiology, San Diego, CA, USA, booth 204 June 6-11: IIT 2010 (Ion Implantation Technology), Kyoto, Japan June 13-18: Goldschmidt Conference, Knoxville, TN, USA, booth 13	Make sure you don't miss us at 2010 conferences: check out our complete event list on the CAMECA web site!
CAMECA Science and Metrology Solutions - A member of AMETEK Materials Analysis Division 29, quai des Gr?illons - 92622 Gennevilliers Cedex - Tel.                        - www.cameca.com