Sample holder implement for very small samples on SC-Ultra SIMS instrument

For the most part of SIMS analyses the available samples are wide enough to be cut down to the sample holder dimensions; nevertheless in some special case one has to face very small specimens (even 1x1mm2), because of the high cost of material or simply because of their low availability. Typical examples can be SiC specimens or decapsulate Si devices. The edge of a typical sample holder window compared to the flat sample surface appears like a macroscopic step, where the electric field is distorted and the primary/secondary beams alignment is consequently affected. This edge effect becomes critical if the sample dimensions are comparable to the edge thickness. For SIMS analyses it is of prime importance to have a flat surface in the sputtering area and in the surrounding surface too, therefore we made a special sample holder for very small specimens in order to fulfill these conditions. A new mask has been designed and realized to easily put in it the smallest pieces; precision of the modified sample holder has been tested obtaining suitable results