3 Main Surface Characterization Techniques in Austin TX

Surface analysis such as roughness and composition can be tested. It is done using one of the three main surface characterization techniques in Austin, TX. These include:

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)

AFM is used to obtain quantitative, three-dimensional images of surfaces with ultra-high resolution. It is part of a growing array of Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) techniques. By scanning an AFM tip, of a few nanometers in diameter, over a sample, a three-dimensional view of the surface topology can be obtained with a lateral resolution of 1-2 nm and a vertical resolution of 0.01 nm. All analyses can be conducted in air without special sample preparation. Even soft, easily damaged materials such as polymers or biological specimens can be imaged.

It provides measurements of surface roughness, grain size, and grain size distribution. These techniques have proven to be useful for incoming quality testing, process monitoring, research and development, failure analysis, and reliability testing for the semiconductor, disk drive, optical coating, polymer, and biotech industries. AFM makes our modern healthcare possible!

Raman Spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy is an inelastic light scattering technique that measures the vibrational spectra of molecules and solids. A monochromatic light source, also known as a laser, is used to irradiate the sample. The photons from the laser interact with the molecular vibrations of the sample and cause the photon energy to shift up or down. The shift in energy is characteristic of specific bonds and can be used to generate a spectrum for the specific system being analyzed. The spectra provide detailed information about the character of the chemical bonds, like graphitic bonding for example. In addition to analysis on silicon, Raman can be used to identify some organic compounds.

Raman spectroscopy is most often used to identify organic compounds. Another common use is to analyze solids like polysilicon, metal silicides, and strained silicon. This technique is useful because it is non-destructive and relatively quick. By coupling the laser with a microscope, scientists are able to achieve a lateral resolution of the incident beam on the order of 1 micron.

HR-ICP-MS

This long acronym stands for High Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. If it sounds pretty complicated, you're right! HR-ICP-MS is an elemental analysis technique used to identify and measure trace metals in liquid solutions. A microliter (yes- that small!) quantity of liquid is sprayed into an argon plasma to ionize dissolved metals. The ions are then separated by a double focusing sector-field mass spectrometer and counted with an electron multiplier detector. The mass of each ion is used to identify the element and the number of ions collected is used to measure concentration. This type of analysis is capable of measuring less than one part-per-trillion concentrations of many elements. This includes a majority of transition and heavy metals. It is used to measure trace contaminants in ultrapure water, process chemicals, semiconductor cleaning baths, chemical waste streams, and liquid extracts of process tool parts and cleanroom products. Measurements are verified with NIST traceable standard material.

A lab that offers surface characterization services in Austin, TX will typically be able to do all three of these, as well as many others.