Our current research into thin films, nanoparticle structure and growth (Pt, ZnO and CeO), diamond growth and nanotube structure has been well supported by these new ion probe and SEM developments and these applications will be reviewed together with our current performance characterization protocols and results.

In another application, the new contrast information seen in the secondary images from the in-lens detector in the FEGSEM has also shown us, for the first time, lateral surface contamination by the Cs ion beam around areas examined by our nanoSIMS 50 ion microprobe. The critical observation here is that this data appears to be a result of field emission from the sample induced by the local fields. If true, this potentially offers a new imaging regime. Other examples will be shown to support this proposal.

Variable pressure SEM detector technologies are also progressing and low accelerating voltage imaging conditions are achievable, providing an ability to obtain high resolution data on, for example, quartz templates and mineral surfaces, without sample preparation of any form (except perhaps hitting it with a hammer so it fits in the chamber).