Scanning Auger Microscope SAM

Although this technique is not normally used for thin polymer films for the reasons described before, it can be used for analyzing the surface of polymer composites containing conductive fillers, e.g. carbon fibers. In addition, because of the surface specificity, the sampled area can be maintained almost identically to the beam cross-section so that the scanning Auger microscope (SAM) can have a spatial resolution that is much better than that of microprobe analysis. 

K IxlO 7 torr of oxygen was added to the vacuum system to remove carbon contamination and keep the particle clean. Sample cleanliness was examined by rcannealing the sample in a PHI 660 Scanning Auger Microprobe (SAM). The panicle starts out with a rounded shape and no distinct structure. When the sample is annealed in vacuum, the particle is convened to a nearly spherical shape with a series of flat facets. Electron channeling patterns taken in the scanning electron microscope indicate that the larger facets are oriented in the (100) direction while the smaller facets... 

LEED low-energy electron diffraction SAM scanning Auger microscope/microscopy... 

A multi-technique analytical system (AES, SAM, SEM, XPS, EDX, BSE) based around a high-resolution scanning Auger microscope... 

Scanning Auger Electron Spectroscopy (SAM) and SIMS (in microprobe or microscope modes). SAM is the most widespread technique, but generally is considered to be of lesser sensitivity than SIMS, at least for spatial resolutions (defined by primary beam diameter d) of approximately 0.1 im. However, with a field emission electron source, SAM can achieve sensitivities tanging from 0.3% at. to 3% at. for Pranging from 1000 A to 300 A, respectively, which is competitive with the best ion microprobes. Even with competitive sensitivity, though, SAM can be very problematic for insulators and electron-sensitive materials. 

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