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Unlocking new contrast in a scanning helium microscope

Author

Listed:
  • M. Barr

    (Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle)

  • A. Fahy

    (Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle)

  • J. Martens

    (Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle)

  • A. P. Jardine

    (Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge)

  • D. J. Ward

    (Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge)

  • J. Ellis

    (Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge)

  • W. Allison

    (Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge)

  • P. C. Dastoor

    (Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle)

Abstract

Delicate structures (such as biological samples, organic films for polymer electronics and adsorbate layers) suffer degradation under the energetic probes of traditional microscopies. Furthermore, the charged nature of these probes presents difficulties when imaging with electric or magnetic fields, or for insulating materials where the addition of a conductive coating is not desirable. Scanning helium microscopy is able to image such structures completely non-destructively by taking advantage of a neutral helium beam as a chemically, electrically and magnetically inert probe of the sample surface. Here we present scanning helium micrographs demonstrating image contrast arising from a range of mechanisms including, for the first time, chemical contrast observed from a series of metal–semiconductor interfaces. The ability of scanning helium microscopy to distinguish between materials without the risk of damage makes it ideal for investigating a wide range of systems.

Suggested Citation

  • M. Barr & A. Fahy & J. Martens & A. P. Jardine & D. J. Ward & J. Ellis & W. Allison & P. C. Dastoor, 2016. "Unlocking new contrast in a scanning helium microscope," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-5, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms10189
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10189
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    Cited by:

    1. Morgan Lowe & Yosef Alkoby & Helen Chadwick & Gil Alexandrowicz, 2024. "Neutral beam microscopy with a reciprocal space approach using magnetic beam spin encoding," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Sabrina D. Eder & Adam Fahy & Matthew G. Barr & J. R. Manson & Bodil Holst & Paul C. Dastoor, 2023. "Sub-resolution contrast in neutral helium microscopy through facet scattering for quantitative imaging of nanoscale topographies on macroscopic surfaces," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.

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