The Atom-Probe Field Ion Microscope: Applications in Surface M Science

Abstract

The ability to locate an individual atom on a surface, remove it in a controlled fashion, and determine its chemical identity makes the atom-probe field-ion microscope an extremely powerful tool for the analysis of solid surfaces. By itself, the field ion microscope has contributed significantly to our understanding of surface atomic structure, single-atom surface diffusion, and the detailed interactions that occur between atoms and defects on surfaces.1 When used in combination with the atom-probe mass spectrometer there have been several additional areas within the traditional definition of "surface science" where the chemical identification capability of the atom probe has led to new insights. In this paper these applications are reviewed focusing on two specific areas: surface segregation in intermetallic alloys and chemical reactions on metal surfaces.The equilibrium distribution of component species in the near surface region of solid solution alloy may be different from the distribution in the bulk.