| AVS 59th Annual International Symposium and Exhibition | |
| Applied Surface Science | Wednesday Sessions |
| Session AS+NS+SS+TF-WeA |
| Session: | 3D Imaging & Nanochemical Analysis - Part 2 (2:00-3:20 pm)/ Advanced Data Analysis and Instrument Control (4:00-6:00 pm) |
| Presenter: | A.J. Fahey, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory |
| Authors: | A.J. Fahey, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory B.E. Naes, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory G. Hager, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
The CAMECA ims-4f at PNNL is nearly 25 years old. Although much of the vacuum system, electrostatic optics and associated apertures and slits have been maintained and remain operational the electronics that control the critical components of this machine has gone beyond the typical “mean-time-between failure” of nearly all components, which is typically 10 years.
The original electronics designs, many of which are no longer employed on the newer CAMECA models, incorporated multiple series of relays to control lens voltages that allowed isolation of low control and high voltage output. These relays, among other components, are failing.
Some components of the electrostatic optics and vacuum system are targeted to be replaced to upgrade the capabilities of the instrument and to use physical components from our “surplus” ims-4f system than would enhance the operation of the PNNL ims-4f giving in near-equivalence to the operation of an ims-7f.
The upgraded electronics and control systems are being designed in a modular way using as many commercial components as possible, such as modular high voltage power supplies and commercially available high-voltage operational amplifiers.The new system will allow for complete control of all subsystems on the instrument and will improve repeatability of settings and measurements. We will be able to perform measurements sets and sequences that are currently not possible on any existing SIMS instrument. In addition, the new computer controlled system should make operation of the SIMS instrument more accessible to other investigators as it should reduce the level of training needed to operate the instrument. Currently, the operator must adjust “knobs” to tune the instrument and reproduce prior operating conditions. With the upgraded system conditions will be recalled from saved files.
All modular components are being housed in ANSI-standard DIN modules and sub-racks. Control, monitoring and data acquisition will largely be performed via PXI subsystems. The Vacuum will be controlled and monitored via a commercial process control system. Also, several other individual instruments will be used in critical positions around the instrument.
Details of the upgrade will be discussed as well as improvements to the flexibility of measurements and the performance of the system. An outline of the types of measurements that should be available with all modern sytems will be presented and discussed as well as the results of improvements implemented to the PNNL ims-4f SIMS instrument.