Numéro
J. Phys. Colloques
Volume 49, Numéro C6, Novembre 1988
35th International Field Emission Symposium / 35éme Symposium International d'Emission de Champ
Page(s) C6-81 - C6-86
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/jphyscol:1988614
35th International Field Emission Symposium / 35éme Symposium International d'Emission de Champ

J. Phys. Colloques 49 (1988) C6-81-C6-86

DOI: 10.1051/jphyscol:1988614

THE EFFECTS OF IMAGE GAS ON ATOM PROBE ANALYSIS

M.K. MILLER et K.F. RUSSELL

Metals and Ceramics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6376, U.S.A.


Abstract
The effects of image gas pressure on the performance of an energy-compensated atom probe have been investigated. The results indicate that the quantitative accuracy of the composition determinations is seriously degraded at gas pressures typically used during field-ion imaging. The mass resolution is degraded both in terms of the increase in the width of the peaks in the spectra and also in the number of ions in the tails of the peaks. The number of afterpulses is also increased.