Elemental distributions and chemical state mapping of silicon of a cross-section of a semiconductor device,
acquired by spectrum imaging.
AES offers outstanding spatial resolution for characterizing sub-100 nm features, especially compared to other X-ray emission spectroscopy techniques like SEM-EDS and EPMA. The high spectral resolution of this technique also enables chemical state analysis, including chemical state mapping.
Lithium detection sensitivity of AES is high and often used for analysis of lithium-ion battery materials. AES detects lithium peaks from lithium oxides and lithium carbonate with good sensitivity because electrons at the adjacent atoms get involved in the auger process. Lithium mapping can be performed easily with spectrum imaging.
Reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS) is also an important application of Auger microprobe. REELS is applied to analysis of carbon materials and also to evaluation of the bandgap size of wide-bandgap semiconductors and insulators.