The fundamental technical breakthrough behind the LEAP 3000X Si Metrology System is the unique and patented local electrode. Only the LEAP 3000X Si can simultaneously provide wide field of view (FOV), high mass resolution, and a high atom-collection rate on a variety of material systems. The local electrode also provides the ability to analyze Microtip specimens. Traditionally, analyzing specimen in an atom probe has required the specimen to be sharpened, loaded into the atom probe through a loadlock, analysis vacuum into be reached, the specimen to be aligned, and finally atom probe analysis can begin. Microtips eliminate some or all of these preparation steps enabling much faster time to data and understanding.

Microtips are fabricated out of silicon and are provided, as an accessory to the LEAP 3000X Si atom probe, by Imago. There are 36 micro-fabricated silicon tips on a 3 mm x 7 mm Microtip coupon. This tightly spaced, uniform array of tips facilitates atom probing in a number of ways. First, having 36 samples on a single 3 mm x 7 mm specimen coupon reduces pump down and sample transfer overhead by a factor of 36 over conventional specimens. Second, because the array of Microtips is uniformly spaced, specimen alignment is greatly simplified resulting in further time savings. Third, when studying thin-film specimens, the use of pre-sharpened Microtips completely eliminates the need to sharpen specimens.

The microfabricated silicon tips on a Pre-sharpened Microtip have a shank angle and radius of curvature such that they may be atom probed with no sample preparation required. If a thin film is deposited on a pre-sharpened Microtip the film will conformally coat the apex so that atom probing may be performed with absolutely no specimen preparation.

For non-thin-film specimens (e.g. silicon wafers) the region of interest may be cut out of the sample using a focused ion beam system. The specimen is then mounted at the apex of a Microtip using a micro manipulator and attached with using a focused ion beam deposited film as “glue”. Finally, the focused ion beam is used to sharpen the specimen, mounted on the apex of the Microtip, to a sharp pyramid suitable for atom probing. Microtips designed for non-thin-film specimens are flat on the top to facilitate mounting the specimen. The name of this sort of Microtip is “Microtips for Fib Mounting” and these are again available from Imago.

In summary, Pre-sharpened Microtips are used when the specimen is a thin film. The use of Pre-sharpened Microtips eliminates the need for specimen sharpening and greatly reduces the time/sample for pump down, transfer, and alignment. Microtips for FIB Mounting are used for bulk (non-thin-film) specimens. The use of Microtips for FIB Mounting greatly reduces the time/sample for pump down, transfer, and alignment.