3D Nanoscale chemical analysis: a FIBSEM-SIMS facility optimised for soft and composite materials

支撑数字技术、添加剂制造、医疗保健、食品、能源、环境和精细化工行业进步的材料日益复杂，需要从纳米级体积逐步改变半定量、同位素和痕量化学分析，并结合其固有的3D结构。此外，在可持续的NetZero技术面临紧迫的社会压力的情况下，对合成材料和天然材料进行多长度尺度的快速分析，可以促进它们的改进和最佳利用。集成的UHV FIBSEM-ToFSIMS仪器为具有同位素和微量元素灵敏度的表面化学分析提供了重要工具，并通过连续离子束切片实现了对体积超过100,000立方微米的材料的3D纳米级化学表征。这种分析填补了相关工作流程中的一个关键空白，用于对不同长度尺度的材料进行结构和化学成像的组合：通过光和X射线探测的材料和使用分析透射式电子显微镜获得的材料之间的空白，以及最终的原子探针断层扫描。新设备将拥有通过低温工作流程研究硬材料和软材料的灵活性，从而增加英国在分析重要的有机-无机混合材料方面的专业知识。这种能力为在医疗、化学、结构和电子应用中广泛使用的复杂软固体(以及潜在的固体/液体分散体)的表征开辟了新的视野。

The increasing complexity of materials that underpin advances in the digital technologies, additive manufacturing, healthcare, food, energy, environmental and fine chemical sectors requires a step-change in semi-quantitative, isotopic and trace chemical analysis from nanoscale volumes, contextualised in their native 3D structure. Furthermore, with urgent societal pressures for sustainable NetZero technologies, rapid analysis of both synthetic and natural materials over multiple length scales, can facilitate their improvement and optimal utilisation. An integrated UHV FIBSEM-ToFSIMS instrument provides an important tool for surface chemical analysis with isotopic and trace element sensitivity and also enables 3D nanoscale chemical characterisation of materials over volumes of 100,000 cubic micrometres via serial ion beam sectioning. This analysis fills a pivotal gap within correlative workflows for the combined structural and chemical imaging of materials at different length scales: between that probed by light and X-rays, and that obtained using analytical transmission electron microscopy, and ultimately atom probe tomography. The new equipment will possess flexibility to study both hard and also soft materials, via the cryo-workflow, thus increasing UK expertise in analysis of important, hybrid organic-inorganic materials. Such a capability opens up new horizons for the characterisation of complex soft solids (and potentially solid/liquid dispersions) used in a wide range of medical, chemical, structural and electronic applications.