The CAMECA SIMS 4550 is the benchmark quadrupole SIMS with top performances in depth profiling. The key points ensuring its success are:
Reference performances in high depth resolution analysis. This derives mainly from: - Oxygen and cesium Floating Low energy Ion Gun technology (FLIG), exceeding by far the performance of conventional or extraction floating ion columns used in other conventional SIMS. - A total flexibility concerning the primary ion angle of incidence, even in unattended chained analysis. - A low field of extraction of the quadrupole analyzer facilitating the use of low energy primary ions.
Reference performances in automation and reproducibility for metrology, deriving mainly from: - a superior redesign of the quadrupole analyzer optics (extraction, transfer, gating, post-acceleration), - a user-friendly chain analysis software and a renowned ease of use of the instrument, reducing the need for highly-trained operators, - ultra stable ion sources and electronics for unattended overnight measurements.
Easy insulator analysis thanks to: - the low extraction field of the quadrupole, - a low energy electron flood gun for charge compensation, - unique OCE (Optical Conductivity Enhancement) for SiGe analysis.
Finally, the unique Checkerboard capability allows the operator to check the validity of the results, remove artifacts from sample inhomogeneity or dusts, without having to re-run the analysis. This adds greatly to the throughput of the instrument, reproducibility and reliability of the results.
The SIMS 4550 can be delivered in different configurations. The instrument shown on the left is optimized for III-V semiconductors. It is equipped with the TWISTER chamber for multiple 3-inch wafer or small sample loading and storage, a high energy cesium gun at grazing incidence (for fast etching of several µm without rugosity development) and a FLIG cesium gun for ultra high depth resolution analysis.