Final Report Summary - EMDPA (New elemental and molecular depth profiling analysis of advanced materials by modulated radio frequency glow discharge time of flight mass spectrometry)
Surface and depth profiling chemical analysis of multilayer materials demand a 'multi-dimensional' knowledge, including elemental and molecular information and require direct analysis on the solid (GC / LC MS fail on this aspect, ICP MS coupled to laser ablation does not permit to measure gas elements and molecules) to provide the fundamental and strategic information for new materials' development directed by precise mechanistic understanding.
The key objectives of the project have been reached. That notably reflects in the number of presentations given at international conferences and local meetings as well as in the 30 peer reviewed papers published in strong cooperation between partners, ranging from plasma characterisation and surface / plasma interactions studies to the introduction of new concepts and advanced applications that have come along with the instrument development.
Publications demonstrate that the EMDPA consortium has successfully explored all aspects of the project (full references are available on http://www.emdpa.eu our website). The results have generated interest in the scientific community and a strong dissemination effort has been conducted. First domains of applications embrace corrosion science, solar cells manufacturing and molecular electronics. The instrument interests several labs involved in research, development, characterisation and measurement on thin / thick films.
Further, speed and ease of use are also crucial to keep pace with new materials development and these necessary requirements are not possible with classical surface techniques (XPS, SIMS, AES) that are rather slow and complex to use and usually operate over very small zones of analysis (though 'macroraster imaging' could be applied but to the further detriment of the analysis time).
GD-OES has the speed of analysis required but could not provide any valid molecular information and the lack of sensitivity inherent to OES makes it inappropriate for the needs of new materials. GD-MS could be a valid concept as it embraces the speed of GD-OES with MS detection capability but in order to develop a new instrument fulfilling advanced materials' requirements, fundamental breakthroughs, which are described in the following state of the art, must be overcome.
EMDPA is a STREP project that aimed to input radically new knowledge into the development of a pulsed RF GD-TOF mass spectrometer dedicated to surface and depth profiling analysis (with nanometre (nm) depth resolution) of advanced materials with conductive and nonconductive thin layers.
The key objectives of the project have been reached. That notably reflects in the number of presentations given at international conferences and local meetings as well as in the 30 peer reviewed papers published in strong cooperation between partners, ranging from plasma characterisation and surface / plasma interactions studies to the introduction of new concepts and advanced applications that have come along with the instrument development.
Publications demonstrate that the EMDPA consortium has successfully explored all aspects of the project, full references are available on our web site at http://www.emdpa.eu The results have generated interest in the scientific community and a strong dissemination effort has been conducted. First domains of applications embrace corrosion science, solar cells manufacturing and molecular electronics. The instrument interests several labs involved in research, development, characterisation and measurement on thin / thick films.
The EMDPA consortium was asked to contribute to a review MS handbook to be published by Wiley in 2010 with a chapter on thin and thick films analysis that will notably detail the major outputs of our project.
The new GD TOFMS gives the unique possibility to get the full mass spectrum at any depth in a depth profile analysis and any time within a pulse in case of pulsed operation offering a unique characterisation tool for advanced multilayer materials and achieves the objectives of the EMDPA project.
The key objectives of the project have been reached. That notably reflects in the number of presentations given at international conferences and local meetings as well as in the 30 peer reviewed papers published in strong cooperation between partners, ranging from plasma characterisation and surface / plasma interactions studies to the introduction of new concepts and advanced applications that have come along with the instrument development.
Publications demonstrate that the EMDPA consortium has successfully explored all aspects of the project (full references are available on http://www.emdpa.eu our website). The results have generated interest in the scientific community and a strong dissemination effort has been conducted. First domains of applications embrace corrosion science, solar cells manufacturing and molecular electronics. The instrument interests several labs involved in research, development, characterisation and measurement on thin / thick films.
Further, speed and ease of use are also crucial to keep pace with new materials development and these necessary requirements are not possible with classical surface techniques (XPS, SIMS, AES) that are rather slow and complex to use and usually operate over very small zones of analysis (though 'macroraster imaging' could be applied but to the further detriment of the analysis time).
GD-OES has the speed of analysis required but could not provide any valid molecular information and the lack of sensitivity inherent to OES makes it inappropriate for the needs of new materials. GD-MS could be a valid concept as it embraces the speed of GD-OES with MS detection capability but in order to develop a new instrument fulfilling advanced materials' requirements, fundamental breakthroughs, which are described in the following state of the art, must be overcome.
EMDPA is a STREP project that aimed to input radically new knowledge into the development of a pulsed RF GD-TOF mass spectrometer dedicated to surface and depth profiling analysis (with nanometre (nm) depth resolution) of advanced materials with conductive and nonconductive thin layers.
The key objectives of the project have been reached. That notably reflects in the number of presentations given at international conferences and local meetings as well as in the 30 peer reviewed papers published in strong cooperation between partners, ranging from plasma characterisation and surface / plasma interactions studies to the introduction of new concepts and advanced applications that have come along with the instrument development.
Publications demonstrate that the EMDPA consortium has successfully explored all aspects of the project, full references are available on our web site at http://www.emdpa.eu The results have generated interest in the scientific community and a strong dissemination effort has been conducted. First domains of applications embrace corrosion science, solar cells manufacturing and molecular electronics. The instrument interests several labs involved in research, development, characterisation and measurement on thin / thick films.
The EMDPA consortium was asked to contribute to a review MS handbook to be published by Wiley in 2010 with a chapter on thin and thick films analysis that will notably detail the major outputs of our project.
The new GD TOFMS gives the unique possibility to get the full mass spectrum at any depth in a depth profile analysis and any time within a pulse in case of pulsed operation offering a unique characterisation tool for advanced multilayer materials and achieves the objectives of the EMDPA project.
