Applied Surface Science, Vol.255, No.4, 1052-1054, 2008
Improvement of sensitivity using principal component analysis by dual focused ion beam time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry
It is important to develop and to practically use the method to analyze a micro-nanometer order area. Especially, three-dimensional microanalysis for minute structure that consists of the organic compounds and the polymer is difficult. We developed a novel three-dimensional microanalysis method by means of focused ion beam (FIB) for section processing and ToF-SIMS for mapping method. For the purpose of realization of three-dimensional microanalysis and a chemical and structural analysis of the organic matter, the sensitivity improvement of ToF-SIMS in the three-dimensional analysis device and the method of the spectral analysis are examined. To improve the sensitivity of ToF-SIMS, the sample stage was modified to arrange perpendicularly with the ToF optical axis, and the distortion of electric field was corrected. And, by analyzing the fragment ions by using the principal component analysis (PCA) to raise the efficiency of the spectrum analysis, spatial resolution has improved. As a result, the resolution of the device improved to sub micrometer order, and advanced to the achievement of the three-dimensional microanalysis. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.