Quantitative Element‐Sensitive Analysis of Individual Nanoobjects. Issue 9 (15th December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wählisch, André; Unterumsberger, Rainer; Hönicke, Philipp; Lubeck, Janin; Kayser, Yves; Weser, Jan; Dai, Gaoliang; Hahm, Kai; Weimann, Thomas; Seim, Christian; Rehbein, Stefan; Beckhoff, Burkhard
• Is Part Of: Small. Volume 19:Issue 9(2023)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-12-15
• Subjects: nanobeam X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) -- nanometrology -- nanostructure characterization -- quantitative analysis; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanoparticles -- Periodicals; Microtechnology -- Periodicals; 620.5
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202204943
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1613-6810

Abstract

Abstract: A reliable and quantitative material analysis is crucial for assessing new technological processes, especially to facilitate a quantitative understanding of advanced material properties at the nanoscale. To this end, X‐ray fluorescence microscopy techniques can offer an element‐sensitive and non‐destructive tool for the investigation of a wide range of nanotechnological materials. Since X‐ray radiation provides information depths of up to the microscale, even stratified or buried arrangements are easily accessible without invasive sample preparation. However, in terms of the quantification capabilities, these approaches are usually restricted to a qualitative or semi‐quantitative analysis at the nanoscale. Relying on comparable reference nanomaterials is often not straightforward or impossible because the development of innovative nanomaterials has proven to be more fast‐paced than any development process for appropriate reference materials. The present work corroborates that a traceable quantification of individual nanoobjects can be realized by means of an X‐ray fluorescence microscope when utilizing rather conventional but well‐calibrated instrumentation instead of reference materials. As a proof of concept, the total number of atoms forming a germanium nanoobject is quantified using soft X‐ray radiation. Furthermore, complementary dimensional parameters of such objects are reconstructed. Abstract : Nanobeam‐XRF is used to characterize individual nanoobjects in a quantitative and element‐sensitive manner. Since the approach is based on calibrated instrumentation, it gives access to the number and type of atoms forming a nanostructure without relying on nanoscaled reference materials.