Laser-assisted atom probe tomography and nanosciences

A laser assisted tomographic atom probe has recently been designed. The use of femtosecond laser evaporation pulses rather than of high-voltage pulses has opened the field of application of the technique to new materials such as semiconductors and oxides. These classes of materials are of utmost importance in microelectronics for the design of nanochips and nano-transistors in integrated devices. This type of instrument is the only 3D analytical microscope capable of mapping out the distribution of elements in a small volume (50 x 50 x 100 nm(3)) on a nearly atomic scale. In addition, the tomographic atom probe enables us to get quantitative composition measurements. This review illustrates the potential of this new instrument (laser assisted wide angle tomographic atom probe LaWaTAP) when applied to study scientific topics in nano-sciences. As an example, both the distribution of addition elements (Pt) during inter-diffusive reaction in NiSi contacts of nano-transistors and the investigation of interfaces in MgO/Fe tunnel junctions are presented and discussed.