Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique

Cameca

Bernard Deconihout

Alain Bostel

Mikhail Yavor

François Vurpillot

Angela Vella

Ludovic Renaud

Didier Blavette

Mikaïl Yavor

A wide spectral band laser pulse generating device capable of covering a spectrum formed of given wavelengths is provided, including: a monochromatic laser light source whose intensity is adjustable; non-linear optical means, a photonic crystal or a microstructured optical fiber for example, for carrying out spectral widening of the wave emitted by the light source; the light source and the non-linear optical means are configured and arranged so as to create a white supercontinuum whose continuous spectrum contains the wavelengths considered. The invention relates to the general field of the analysis of the composition of material specimens, and in particular to laser tomographic atom probes.

Device for generating wide spectral band laser pulses, particularly for a tomographic atom probe

The present invention concerns the enhancing of the mass resolution of wide angle tomographic atom probes. The invention consists of an atom probe also comprising a sample-holding device and a detector which are separated from one another by a distance L and enclosed in a chamber, an 'Einzel' type electrostatic lens consisting of three electrodes arranged inside the chamber between the sample and the detector, to which electrical potentials are applied so as to form an electrical field that strongly focuses the beam of ions emitted by the sample under test when the probe is operating. According to the invention, the geometry of the electrodes is defined precisely so as to greatly limit the effects of the spherical aberration that affects the 'Einzel' lens on the beam of ions, said spherical aberration being clearly sensitive when the lens is greatly polarized. The invention applies more particularly to the atom probes known as 3D atom probes.

High resolution wide angle tomographic probe

Transparent position-sensitive particle detector

Growing community of inventors

Rouen, France

Bernard Deconihout