Pulsed-laser atom probe mass spectroscopy

The pulsed-laser atom probe is a time-of-flight mass spectrometer which is used to study the structure and composition of solid samples in atomic detail. A high electric field and a short-duration laser pulse are applied to a field ion microscope tip to remove surface atoms as ions for time-of-flight analysis. This ion generation mechanism extends the capabilities of the conventional, pulsed-voltage atom probe used previously. The instrumentation associated with the pulsed-laser atom probe, the physical mechanisms which underlie its operation, and the unique applications of the technique are reviewed.