Near-field X-ray fluorescence microprobe
This invention pertains to an x-ray microprobe that can be placed very close the sample surface. A practical implementation is an x-ray target material integrated to an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip and an electron beam is focused to the target materials to generate x-ray emission. This microprobe can be combined with energy-resolved detector or a fluorescence imaging system for material analysis applications.
1. An x-ray probe system, comprising:
a target supported adjacent a sample surface which is integrated into a probe tip of an atomic force microprobe (AFM); and
a beam source for generating an energetic beam to generate x-ray emissions from the target to probe the sample.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the x-ray target is made from titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), silver (Ag), tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W), or gold (Au).
3. A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the beam source generates a focused electron beam.
4. A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the beam source generates a focused x-ray beam.
5. A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the beam source generates a focused ion beam.
6. A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the energetic beam has energy of between 1 and 150 keV.
7. A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the target has a thickness of between 10 nm and 10 μm.
8. A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a distance between the target and the sample is between 1 and 100 μm.
9. A system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a proximity control system for controlling a distance between the target and a surface of the sample.
10. A system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a cantilever system for supporting the target adjacent the sample.
11. A system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the cantilever system is fabricated from the material of the target.
12. A system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the target is deposited on the cantilever.
13. A system as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising a proximity control system for controlling a distance between the cantilever system and a surface of the sample.
14. A system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a detector for detecting fluorescence emission from the sample.
15. A system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the detector comprises an energy dispersive detector.
16. A system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the detector comprises an wavelength dispersive spectrometry detector.
17. A system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the detector comprises an x-ray lens and a spatially resolved detector system.
18. A system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the detector comprises a zone plate lens and a spatially resolved detector system.