Soft X-ray laser ablation for nano-scale chemical mapping microanalysis

Abstract

Laser-assisted microanalysis offers the advantage of determining the spatially resolved compositions in 3D. Scanning a material with a sequence of sampling laser pulses and acquiring online the related spectra allow one to map the lateral and depth distribution of elements and molecules. However, the requirement to analyse smaller and smaller length-scales is challenged by focal diffraction as well as reduction of sensitivity at the nano-scale. Electron-based microprobes still offer unmatched spatial resolution. Disruptive improvements in laser technology are however demonstrated utilizing recently self-developed extreme ultraviolet or soft X-ray lasers. Firstly, a significant enhancement of the resolution is accomplished thanks to a much shorter wavelength, with respect to state-of-the-art commercial lasers. Furthermore, as the most innovative aspect, the sampling efficiency is enhanced using “ionizing radiation”, i.e. directly activating the target material. The high photon-energy (20–100 eV) makes the sampling process essentially single-photon, whatever bond or ionization energy. Furthermore, the analytical setup is simplified to a sampling source and detector, i.e. without the need for a secondary ionization or excitation source as in some state-of-the-art analytical systems. In this review, fundamental aspects of X-ray laser desorption and ablation are discussed, and a survey of the available literature is presented. The main objective is to convince the reader that desorption or ablation in this spectral domain is a significantly cleaner sampling process, with large potential, still requiring investigation for a complete fundamental understanding. Applications of laser microanalysis are thus entering the nano-scale era, which shrinks the gap with electron-based microprobes.