Auger Electron Microscopy MAC – Reference Materials

MAC has developed multi-element blocks of reference materials suitable for the compilation of a reference library of Auger sensitivity factors when used with the Auger Electron Microscopy (AES).

(Auger electron: one of the electrons ejected from an atom as a result of the internal conversion of its own X-ray in the auger effect. Auger effect: a process in which an atom singly ionized by emitting one electron with energy in the X-ray range instead of emitting the usual X-ray photon on recovery undergoes a transition in which a second electron is emitted).

A carefully selected range of elements or compounds will enable the surface analyst to compile a valuable reference library of spectra for those materials of specific interest to his field of study. AES is of particular value in the investigation of the surface chemistry of electronic materials. A set of 33 relevant reference materials is designed for this purpose.

A Faraday Cup, for the accurate measurement of specimen current, is available as an option on all reference blocks.

Multi-element blocks containing up to 50 reference materials can be made to suit the configuration of the most instrument but, the actual number of materials and the shape and size of the reference block is determined by the physical limitations imposed by the specimen holder and chamber. The reference material each has an exposed area about 2 square mm.

Each block of reference material is made from AISI 304 grade austenitic stainless steel, set with elements and compounds of your choice and polished to a 1⁄4 micron diamond finish. All blocks are supplied with certificates of analysis and a map showing the locations of the reference materials.The design of the reference blocks for AES is based upon that used for the production of our already established range of electron probes X-ray microanalysis (EPMA) standard blocks.

For surface analysis in ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environments, the design of the AES blocks has three significant differences over the EPMA blocks:

• For EPMA, the reference standards are set into drilled brass blocks. However, for UHV, the brass would outgas, so non-magnetic stainless steel is used for the AES reference blocks.
• There is no coating of electrically conductive carbon on the AES blocks. For EPMA, this coating is needed to neutralize any electron beam induced charge.
• EPMA standards are mounted using epoxy resin, which would rapidly outgas under UHV conditions. The AES reference blocks are set with Wood's Fusible Metal. This is an alloy of bismuth, lead, tin, and cadmium.

Wood's Metal, being electrically conductive, also serves as an electrical connection between the reference material and the stainless steel block thereby dissipating any electrical charge. However, some of the reference materials are electrical insulators, so there must be charge neutralized using a high specimen tilt angle or a lower primary beam accelerating potential.

The results of using Wood's Fusible Metal as a mounting compound as follows:

• Out gassing: The chamber base pressure immediately prior to block admission was 6.4x10-10 bar. After 24 hours, the chamber pressure was 8.0x10-10 bar. This is the pressure that would be expected
  for a typical sample. Thus, the Wood's Metal is acceptable as a mounting compound for the blocks of reference materials.
• Electron Beam Damage: No appreciable electron beam induced damage of the Wood's Metal was noted despite prolonged exposure to a beam of 10kV and 0.3 micro Amps.
• Contamination: After the removal of Atmospheric contamination from the reference materials using a rastered argon ion gun, no evidence of cross-contamination by the Wood's Metal was found above a
  detection limit of 1 atomic weight %.

WARNING: The block of reference materials should not be baked prior to analysis.Wood's Metal melts at about 70°C and also, because of its high vapor pressure, cadmium vapor would be liberated into the
specimen chamber.

A comprehensive library of spectra could be used to establish the relative contribution of various elements in an unknown sample by the application of a peak stripping routine.

For those AES instruments equipped with a solid state energy dispersive X-ray detector, a multi-element block of reference materials will enable the analyst to calibrate the E.D. system. (The problem
associated with the charging of any electrically insulating materials must be taken into consideration before attempting this calibration).

This ability to analyze an unknown sample using the E.D. system to gain prior knowledge of the elemental composition will ensure that the correct peak positions are set before depth profiling by AES.
Acknowledgment: The investigation was carried out on a JEOL-10S by Dr. M.D. Hill of British Telecom Research Laboratories, Martlesham Heath, Suffolk.

ORDERING INFORMATION:

Please supply the following information when ordering:

1. Make and model of instrument in which the reference materials are to be used.
2. Specify quantity and reference materials required.
3. Dimensions of the block (with drawing is preferred).
4. Whether a Faraday Cup is required.
5. Any limitation of the X and Y movements of the stage.

Delivery is normally 3-4 weeks from receipt of the order.

A. Multi Element Block

80095-05	Block of 5 Standards	Set	1,300.00	Add to Cart
80095-10	Block of 10 Standards	Set	1,900.00	Add to Cart
80095-15	Block of 15 Standards	Set	2,650.00	Add to Cart
80095-20	Block of 20 Standards	Set	3,350.00	Add to Cart
80095-25	Block of 25 Standards	Set	3,960.00	Add to Cart
80095-30	Block of 30 Standards	Set	4,585.00	Add to Cart
80095-35	Block of 35 Standards	Set	5,000.00	Add to Cart
80095-40	Block of 40 Standards	Set	5,700.00	Add to Cart
80095-45	Block of 45 Standards	Set	6,000.00	Add to Cart
80095-50	Block of 50 Standards	Set	6,518.00	Add to Cart
80062	Faraday Cup	Set	250.00	Add to Cart
80095-481	SRM 481 Au/Ag Set of 6 Standards	Set	925.00	Add to Cart
80095-482	SRM 482 Au/Cu Set of 6 Standards	Set	925.00	Add to Cart
80095-483	SRM 483 Fe-Si	Set	210.00	Add to Cart
80095-1872	SRM 1872 Set of 3 glasses	Set	625.00	Add to Cart

B. Electronics Materials Set:

Set comprises of 33 materials:

Ag	GaP	Bi2Te3	Si	Ag2Te	Zn	GaAs	Ni	KBr
W	ZnS	InP	FeS2	Sn	B	Pt	PbTe	Cu
CaF2	LiF	BN	InSb	Mg2Sn	SiO2	CdS	Al2O3	Sb
C	MgO	Zr	NaCl	Pd	Cr

80095-ELE

Electronic Set of 33 Materials

Set

4,521.00

Add to Cart

C. Mineral Block Set

The set is comprised of 28 minerals:

Beryl	Be3Al2Si6O18		Anhydrite	CaSO4
Cryolite	Na3AlF6		Titanium Monoxide	TiO
Albite	NaAlSi3O8		Rhodonite	MnSiO3
Magnesium Oxide	MgO		Garnet Spessastine	Mn3Al2Si3O12
Fosterite	Mg2SiO4		Ferric Oxide	Fe2O3
Olivine	(MgFe)2SiO4		Almandine Garnet	Fe3Al2Si3O12
Kyanite	Al2O3SiO2		Pyrite	FeS2
Orthoclase	KalSi3O8		Willemite	Zn2SiO4
Calcite	CaCO3		Celestine	SrSO4
Fluorite	CaF2		Zircon	ZrSiO4
Diopside	Ca(Mg,Fe)Si2O6		Barite	BaSO4
Augite	(Ca,Mg,Fe)2(Si,Al)2O		Benitoite	BaTiSi3O9
Wollastomite	CaSiO3		Apatite	Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH)
Gadolinium Gallium Garnet	Gd3Ga5O12		Faraday Cup

80095-MINA	Mineral Block, 25 mm Diameter	Set	2,600.00	Add to Cart
80095-MINB	Mineral Block, 32 mm Diameter	Set	2,600.00	Add to Cart

D. Rare Earth (RE-Glass) Block:

The set is comprised of 15 standards, 25mm diameter block:

Y	Pr	Dy	Er	Ce	Eu	Ho	Tm	La
Sm	Gd	Yb	Nd	Tb	Lu

80095-REG

15 Rare Earth Re-Glass Block

Set

2,200.00

Add to Cart

E. Rare Earth Block:

The set is comprised of 18 standards:

LaB6	NdF3	TbF3	ErF3	LaF3	SmF3	TbSi2	Tm	CeAl2
EuF3	DyF3	TmSi2	PrF3	GdF3	HoF3	YbF3	LuF3	LuSi2

80095-RE25	18 Rare Earth, 25mm Dia. Block	Set	1,750.00	Add to Cart
80095-RE32	18 Rare Earth, 32mm Dia. Block	Set	1,750.00	Add to Cart

F. Semi-conductor Block:

The set is comprised of 21 materials:

B	Si	Cu2S	Ge	InSb	C	CaF2	ZnS	Ag2S
HgTe	Mg2Sn	FeSi2	GaP	CdS	PbTe	Al2SiO5	FeS2	GaAs
InP	Bi2Se3	Bi2Te3

80095-SC25	21 Semi-Conductor Materials, 25mm Dia.	Set	1,975.00	Add to Cart
80095-SC32	21 Semi-Conductor Materials, 32mm Dia.	Set	1,975.00	Add to Cart

G. Biological Block:

The set is comprised of 18 materials with Faraday cup:

BN	Al	CaCO33	FeS2	BaSO4	C	SiO2	CaSO4	Se
Bi	NaCl	KCl	Ti	InP	MgO	KBr	V	BaF2

Faraday Cup

80095-BIO25	18 Biological Materials, 25mm Dia	Set	1,900.00	Add to Cart
80095-BIO32	18 Biological Materials, 32mm Dia.	Set	1,900.00	Add to Cart

H. 42 Standard Universal Block:

The block is comprised of 42 materials:

Jade	Fe	SeF2	InAs	Ir	MgO	FeS2	Y	Sn
Pt	Al2O3	Co	Zr	Sb	Au	Ortho	Ni	Nb
BaF2	HgTe	Wollas	Cu	Mo	LaB6	PbTe	Ti	Zn
Rh	CeAl2	Bi	V	GaP	Pd	Hf	Cr	Ge
Ag	Ta	Mn	Se	Cd	W

80095-U25	42 Standard Universal, 25mm Dia Block	Set	3,200.00	Add to Cart
80095-U32	42 Standard Universal, 32mm Dia Block	Set	3,200.00	Add to Cart

I/ 45 Standard + Faraday Cup Universal Block

The block is comprised of 45 materials and Faraday Cup:

B	V	GaP	Pd	Hf	Bn	Cr	Ge	Ag
Ta	C	Mn	Se	Cd	W	Jade	Fe	SrF2
InAs	Ir	MgO	FeS2	Y	Sn	Pt	Al2 O3	Co
Zr	Sb	Au	Ortho	Ni	Nb	BaF2	HgTe
Wollas	Cu	Mo	LaB6	PbTe	Ti	Zn	Rh	CeAl2
Bi	and Faraday Cup

80095-UF25	45 Standard + FC, 25mm Dia Block	Set	3,600.00	Add to Cart
80095-UF32	45 Standard + FC, 32mm Dia Block	Set	3,600.00	Add to Cart

J. 37 Standard + Faraday Cup

The block is comprised of 37 materials and a faraday cup.

B	Cr	GaP	InAs	Au	C	Mn	SrF2	Sn
PbTe	MgO	Fe	Zr	Sb	Bi	Albite	FeS2	Nb
BaF2	C	Si	Co	Mo	Hf Al2O3	Ortho	Ni	Pd
Ta	Wolllas	Cu	Ag	W Ti Zn	Cd	Pt

80070-37	37 Standard and FC Dia Block Set 25mm	each	3200.00	Add to Cart
80070-37A	37 Standard and FC Dia Block Set 32mm	each	3200.00	Add to Cart

K. 55 Standard+ Faraday Cup

The block is comprised of 55 standards and a faraday cup

BEI	Si3N4	Cr	GaP	Pd	Hf	Bi	B	SiO2
Mn	Ge	Ag	Ta	BN	Ortho	Fe	Se	Cd
PbTe	C	KBr	Fe3C	SrF2	InAs	W	Albite	CaF2
FeS2	Y	Sn	Re	NaCl	Woll	Co	Zr	Sb
Ir	MgO	ScNiNb	BaF2	Pt	Al2O3	Ti

80070-55

55 Standard and FC Dia Block Set 32mm

each

4300.00

Add to Cart

MAC Standards for X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy