ToF-SIMS Depth Profiling of Organic Films: A Comparison between Single Beam and Dual-beam Analysis

ToF-SIMS analysis of ultrathin films and their fragmentation patterns

Organic thin films are of great interest due to their intriguing interfacial and functional properties, especially for device applications such as thin-film transistors and sensors. As their thickness approaches single nanometer thickness, characterization and interpretation of the extracted data become increasingly complex. In this study, plasma polymerization is used to construct ultrathin films that range in thickness from 1 to 20 nm, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry coupled with principal component analysis is used to investigate the effects of film thickness on the resulting spectra. We demonstrate that for these cross-linked plasma polymers, at these thicknesses, the observed trends are different from those obtained from thicker films with lower degrees of cross-linking: contributions from ambient carbon contamination start to dominate the mass spectrum; cluster-induced nonlinear enhancement in secondary ion yield is no longer observed; extent of fragmentation is higher due to confinement of the primary ion energy; and the size of the primary ion source also affects fragmentation (e.g., Bi1 versus Bi5). These differences illustrate that care must be taken in choosing the correct primary ion source as well as in interpreting the data.

Back to the basics of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry of bio-related samples. I. Instrumentation and data collection

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) is used widely throughout industrial and academic research due to the high information content of the chemically specific data it produces. Modern ToF-SIMS instruments can generate high mass resolution data that can be displayed as spectra and images (2D and 3D). This enables determining the distribution of molecules across and into a surface and provides access to information not obtainable from other methods. With this detailed chemical information comes a steep learning curve in how to properly acquire and interpret the data. This Tutorial is aimed at helping ToF-SIMS users to plan for and collect ToF-SIMS data. The second Tutorial in this series will cover how to process, display, and interpret ToF-SIMS data.

ToF-SIMS Depth Profiling of Metal, Metal Oxide, and Alloy Multilayers in Atmospheres of H2, C2H2, CO, and O2

The influence of the flooding gas during ToF-SIMS depth profiling was studied to reduce the matrix effect and improve the quality of the depth profiles. The profiles were measured on three multilayered samples prepared by PVD. They were composed of metal, metal oxide, and alloy layers. Dual-beam depth profiling was performed with 1 keV Cs⁺ and 1 keV O₂⁺ sputter beams and analyzed with a Bi⁺ primary beam. The novelty of this work was the application of H₂, C₂H₂, CO, and O₂ atmospheres during SIMS depth profiling. Negative cluster secondary ions, formed from sputtered metals/metal oxides and the flooding gases, were analyzed. A systematic comparison and evaluation of the ToF-SIMS depth profiles were performed regarding the matrix effect, ionization probability, chemical sensitivity, sputtering rate, and depth resolution. We found that depth profiling in the C₂H₂, CO, and O₂ atmospheres has some advantages over UHV depth profiling, but it still lacks some of the information needed for an unambiguous determination of multilayered structures. The ToF-SIMS depth profiles were significantly improved during H₂ flooding in terms of matrix-effect reduction. The structures of all the samples were clearly resolved while measuring the intensity of the M_nH_m^-, M_nO_m^-, M_nO_mH^-, and M_n^- cluster secondary ions. A further decrease in the matrix effect was obtained by normalization of the measured signals. The use of H₂ is proposed for the depth profiling of metal/metal oxide multilayers and alloys.

Validated Analysis of Component Distribution Inside Perovskite Solar Cells and Its Utility in Unveiling Factors of Device Performance and Degradation

Time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) has been used for gaining insights into perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the importance of selecting ion beam parameters to eliminate artifacts in the resulting depth profile is often overlooked. In this work, significant artifacts were identified with commonly applied sputter sources, i.e., an O₂⁺ beam and an Ar-gas cluster ion beam (Ar-GCIB), which could lead to misinterpretation of the PSC structure. On the other hand, polyatomic C₆₀⁺ and Ar⁺ ion beams were found to be able to produce depth profiles that properly reflect the distribution of the components. On the basis of this validated method, differences in component distribution, depending on the fabrication processes, were identified and discussed. The solvent-engineering process yielded a homogeneous film with higher device performance, but sequential deposition led to a perovskite layer sandwiched by methylammonium-deficient layers that impeded the performance. For device degradation, it was found that most components remained intact at their original position except for iodide. This result unambiguously indicated that iodide diffusion was one of the key factors governing the device lifetime. With the validated parameters provided, ToF-SIMS was demonstrated as a powerful tool to unveil the structure variation amid device performance and during degradation, which are crucial for the future development of PSCs.

Formation of Wrinkle Structures on Styrene-b-isoprene-b-styrene Films Using One-Step Ion-Beam Irradiation

We investigated the wrinkle formation on ion-beam (IB)-irradiated substrates coated with the thermoplastic elastomer styrene-b-isoprene-b-styrene (SIS) and demonstrate a relation of the wrinkle structure and the newly formed top layer induced by IB. IB irradiation led to polymer cross-linking on the surface, thereby forming a new skin layer, a finding which was supported by an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, Young moduli calculated using force-distance curves, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiling. The wrinkle wavelength increased according to the irradiation time, which indicates that the latter mainly increased the thickness of the cross-linking layer. The increase in the wrinkle wavelength varied from 420 to 670 nm by changing the IB irradiation time. In this paper, we present not only the expectation of wrinkle fabrication using our method but also the possibility of choosing diverse materials such as the thermoplastic elastomer SIS for fabrication of wrinkle structures.

Mass spectrometry as a tool to advance polymer science

In contrast to natural polymers, which have existed for billions of years, the first well-understood synthetic polymers date back to just over one century ago. Nevertheless, this relatively short period has seen vast progress in synthetic polymer chemistry, which can now afford diverse macromolecules with varying structural complexities. To keep pace with this synthetic progress, there have been commensurate developments in analytical chemistry, where mass spectrometry has emerged as the pre-eminent technique for polymer analysis. This Perspective describes present challenges associated with the mass-spectrometric analysis of synthetic polymers, in particular the desorption, ionization and structural interrogation of high-molar-mass macromolecules, as well as strategies to lower spectral complexity. We critically evaluate recent advances in technology in the context of these challenges and suggest how to push the field beyond its current limitations. In this context, the increasingly important role of high-resolution mass spectrometry is emphasized because of its unrivalled ability to describe unique species within polymer ensembles, rather than to report the average properties of the ensemble.

Mitigating Measurement Artifacts in TOF-SIMS Analysis of Perovskite Solar Cells

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) is one of the few techniques that can specifically distinguish between organic cations such as methylammonium and formamidinium. Distinguishing between these two species can lead to specific insight into the origins and evolution of compositional inhomogeneity and chemical gradients in halide perovskite solar cells, which appears to be a key to advancing the technology. TOF-SIMS can obtain chemical information from hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) in up to three dimensions, while not simply splitting the organic components into their molecular constituents (C, H, and N for both methylammonium and formamidinium), unlike other characterization methods. Here, we report on the apparently ubiquitous A-site organic cation gradient measured when doing TOF-SIMS depth-profiling of PSC films. Using thermomechanical methods to cleave perovskite samples at the buried glass/transparent conducting oxide interface enables depth profiling in a reverse direction from normal depth profiling (backside depth profiling). When comparing the backside depth profiles to the traditional front side profiled devices, an identical slight gradient in the A-site organic cation signal is observed in each case. This indicates that the apparent A-site cation gradient is a measurement artifact due to beam damage from the primary ion beam causing a continually decreasing ion yield for secondary ions of methylammonium and formamidinium. This is due to subsurface implantation and bond breaking from the 30 keV bismuth primary ion beam impact when profiling with too high of a data density. Here, we show that the beam-generated artifact associated with this damage can mostly be mitigated by altering the measurement conditions. We also report on a new method of depth profiling applied to PSC films that enables enhanced sensitivity to halide ions in positive measurement polarity, which can eliminate the need for a second measurement in negative polarity in most cases.

Hybrid Perovskites Depth Profiling with Variable-Size Argon Clusters and Monatomic Ions Beams

Ion beam depth profiling is increasingly used to investigate layers and interfaces in complex multilayered devices, including solar cells. This approach is particularly challenging on hybrid perovskite layers and perovskite solar cells because of the presence of organic/inorganic interfaces requiring the fine optimization of the sputtering beam conditions. The ion beam sputtering must ensure a viable sputtering rate on hard inorganic materials while limiting the chemical (fragmentation), compositional (preferential sputtering) or topographical (roughening and intermixing) modifications on soft organic layers. In this work, model (Cs_x(MA_0.17FA_0.83)_100−xPb(I_0.83Br_0.17)₃/cTiO₂/Glass) samples and full mesoscopic perovskite solar cells are profiled using low-energy (500 and 1000 eV) monatomic beams (Ar⁺ and Cs⁺) and variable-size argon clusters (Ar_n⁺, 75 < n < 4000) with energy up to 20 keV. The ion beam conditions are optimized by systematically comparing the sputtering rates and the surface modifications associated with each sputtering beam. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, and in-situ scanning probe microscopy are combined to characterize the interfaces and evidence sputtering-related artifacts. Within monatomic beams, 500 eV Cs⁺ results in the most intense and stable ToF-SIMS molecular profiles, almost material-independent sputtering rates and sharp interfaces. Large argon clusters (n > 500) with insufficient energy (E < 10 keV) result in the preferential sputtering of organic molecules and are highly ineffective to sputter small metal clusters (Pb and Au), which tend to artificially accumulate during the depth profile. This is not the case for the optimized cluster ions having a few hundred argon atoms (300 < n < 500) and an energy-per-atom value of at least 20 eV. In these conditions, we obtain (i) the low fragmentation of organic molecules, (ii) convenient erosion rates on soft and hard layers (but still different), and (iii) constant molecular profiles in the perovskite layer, i.e., no accumulation of damages.

Dealing with image shifting in 3D ToF-SIMS depth profiles

The high sputter efficiency and low damage of gas cluster ion beams have enabled depth profiling to greater depths within organic samples using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). Due to the typically fixed geometry of the ion sources used in ToF-SIMS, as one digs into a surface, the position sampled by ion beams shifts laterally. This causes a lateral shift in the resulting images that can become quite significant when profiling down more than one micron. Here, three methods to compensate for this image shifting are presented in order to more accurately stack the images to present a 3D representation. These methods include (1) using software to correct the image shifts post-acquisition, (2) correcting the sample height during acquisition, and (3) adjusting the beam position during acquisition. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods are discussed. It was found that all three methods were successful in compensating for image shifting in ToF-SIMS depth profiles resulting in a more accurate display of the 3D data. Features from spherical objects that were ellipsoidal prior to shifting were seen to be spherical after correction. Software shifting is convenient as it can be applied after data acquisition. However, when using software shifting, one must take into account the scan size and the size of the features of interest as image shifts can be significant and can result in cropping of features of interest. For depth profiles deeper than a few microns, hardware methods should be used as they preserve features of interest within the field of view regardless of the profile depth. Software shifting can also be used to correct for small shifts not accounted for by hardware methods. A combination of hardware and software shift correction can enable correction for a wide range of samples and profiling depths. The scripts required for the software shifting demonstrated herein are provided along with tutorials in the supplementary material.

Probing Perovskite Inhomogeneity beyond the Surface: TOF-SIMS Analysis of Halide Perovskite Photovoltaic Devices

Understanding the origins and evolution of inhomogeneity in halide perovskite solar cells appears to be a key to advancing the technology. Time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) is one of the few techniques that can obtain chemical information from all components of halide organic-inorganic perovskite photovoltaics in one-dimension (standard depth profiling), two-dimensions (high-resolution 100 nm imaging), as well as three-dimensions (tomography combining high-resolution imaging with depth profiling). TOF-SIMS has been used to analyze perovskite photovoltaics made by a variety of methods, and the breadth of insight that can be gained from this technique is illustrated here including: cation uniformity (depth and lateral), changes in chemistry upon alternate processing, changes in chemistry upon degradation (including at interfaces), and lateral distribution of passivating additives. Using TOF-SIMS on multiple perovskite compositions, we show that the information regarding halide perovskite formation as well as inhomogeneity critical to device performance can be extracted providing one of the best proxies for understanding compositional changes resulting from degradation. We also describe in detail the measurement artifacts and recommend the best practices that enable unique insight regarding halide perovskite solar cell materials and devices.

Three-Dimensional Observation of a Light-Soaked Photoreactant Layer in BTR:PCBM Solar Cells Treated with/without Solvent Vapor Annealing

A key challenge to the commercialization of solution-processed solar cells is a proper understanding of the morphological variations during long periods, particularly under light-soaking conditions. Many research groups have competitively reported solvent vapor annealing (SVA)-treated small-molecule devices with efficiency rates exceeding 11%; however, their light-soaking effects have been rarely studied. Here, we investigate the morphological changes in the light-soaked devices with/without SVA treatments depending on the illumination time via three-dimensional observations. From the results, we found that the trends of morphological variations differ in the surface and bulk parts of the active film and that the difference is closely related to the device performance capabilities. Therefore, our research will enhance the underlying knowledge of the light-soaking effect on active morphologies over long term.

Low Temperature Plasma for the Preparation of Crater Walls for Compositional Depth Profiling of Thin Inorganic Multilayers

An indirect, compositional depth profiling of an inorganic multilayer system using a helium low temperature plasma (LTP) containing 0.2% (v/v) SF₆ was evaluated. A model multilayer system consisting of four 10 nm layers of silicon separated by four 50 nm layers of tungsten was plasma-etched for (10, 20, and 30) s at substrate temperatures of (50, 75, and 100) °C to obtain crater walls with exposed silicon layers that were then visualized using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) to determine plasma-etching conditions that produced optimum depth resolutions. At a substrate temperature of 100 °C and an etch time of 10 s, the FWHM of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Si layers were (6.4, 10.9, and 12.5) nm, respectively, while the 1/e decay lengths were (2.5, 3.7, and 3.9) nm, matching those obtained from a SIMS depth profile. Though artifacts remain that contribute to degraded depth resolutions, a few experimental parameters have been identified that could be used to reduce their contributions. Further studies are needed, but as long as the artifacts can be controlled, plasma etching was found to be an effective method for preparing samples for compositional depth profiling of both organic and inorganic films, which could pave the way for an indirect depth profile analysis of inorganic-organic hybrid structures that have recently evolved into innovative next-generation materials.

Biomedical surface analysis: Evolution and future directions (Review)

This review describes some of the major advances made in biomedical surface analysis over the past 30-40 years. Starting from a single technique analysis of homogeneous surfaces, it has been developed into a complementary, multitechnique approach for obtaining detailed, comprehensive information about a wide range of surfaces and interfaces of interest to the biomedical community. Significant advances have been made in each surface analysis technique, as well as how the techniques are combined to provide detailed information about biological surfaces and interfaces. The driving force for these advances has been that the surface of a biomaterial is the interface between the biological environment and the biomaterial, and so, the state-of-the-art in instrumentation, experimental protocols, and data analysis methods need to be developed so that the detailed surface structure and composition of biomedical devices can be determined and related to their biological performance. Examples of these advances, as well as areas for future developments, are described for immobilized proteins, complex biomedical surfaces, nanoparticles, and 2D/3D imaging of biological materials.

Nitric oxide assisted C60 secondary ion mass spectrometry for molecular depth profiling of polyelectrolyte multilayers

RATIONALE

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) with polyatomic primary ions provides a successful tool for molecular depth profiling of polymer systems, relevant in many technological applications. Widespread C60 sources, however, cause in some polymers extensive damage with loss of molecular information along depth. We study a method, based on the use of a radical scavenger, for inhibiting ion-beam-induced reactions causing sample damage.

METHODS

Layered polystyrene sulfonate and polyacrylic acid based polyelectrolyte films, behaving differently towards C60 beam-induced damage, were selected and prepared as model systems. They were depth profiled by means of time-of-flight (TOF)-SIMS in dual beam mode, using fullerene ions for sputtering. Nitric oxide was introduced into the analysis chamber as a radical scavenger. The effect of sample cooling combined with NO-dosing on the quality of depth profiles was explored.

RESULTS

NO-dosing during C60-SIMS depth profiling of >1 micrometer-thick multilayered polyelectrolytes allows detection, along depth, of characteristic fragments from systems otherwise damaged by C60 bombardment, and increases sputtering yield by more than one order of magnitude. By contrast, NO has little influence on those layers that are well profiled with C60 alone. Such leveling effect, more pronounced at low temperature, leads to a dramatic improvement of profile quality, with a clear definition of interfaces.

CONCLUSIONS

NO-dosing provides a tool for extending the applicability, in SIMS depth profiling, of the widely spread fullerene ion sources. In view of the acceptable erosion rates on inorganics, obtainable with C60, the method could be of relevance also in connection with the 3D-imaging of hybrid polymer/inorganic systems.

Three-dimensional localization of polymer nanoparticles in cells using ToF-SIMS

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) three-dimensional (3D) depth profiling and a novel background subtraction method were used to localize polymeric nanoparticles within cells. Results showed that ToF-SIMS 3D depth profiling is capable of localizing polymer nanoparticles within HeLa cells. ToF-SIMS results compared well with optical images of cells incubated with fluorescently labeled polymer nanoparticles, with both imaging techniques demonstrating clustering of nanoparticles in punctate regions consistent with endosomal localization as anticipated based on the nanoparticle design.

Role of surface oxides in the formation of solid-electrolyte interphases at silicon electrodes for lithium-ion batteries

Nonaqueous solvents in modern battery technologies undergo electroreduction at negative electrodes, leading to the formation of a solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI). The mechanisms and reactions leading to a stable SEI on silicon electrodes in lithium-ion batteries are still poorly understood. This lack of understanding inhibits the rational design of electrolyte additives, active material coatings, and the prediction of Li-ion battery life in general. We prepared SEI with a common nonaqueous solvent (LiPF6 in PC and in EC/DEC 1:1 by wt %) on silicon oxide and etched silicon (001) surfaces in various states of lithiation to understand the role of surface chemistry on the SEI formation mechanism and SEI structure. Anhydrous and anoxic techniques were used to prevent air and moisture contamination of prepared SEI films, allowing for more accurate characterization of SEI chemical stratification and composition by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) depth profiling. Additionally, multivariate statistical methods were used to better understand TOF-SIMS depth profiling studies. We conclude that the absence of native-oxide layer on silicon has a significant impact on the formation, composition, structure, and thickness of the SEI.

Low-temperature plasma for compositional depth profiling of crosslinking organic multilayers: comparison with C60 and giant argon gas cluster sources

RATIONALE

For organic electronics, device performance can be affected by interlayer diffusion across interfaces. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) can resolve buried structures with nanometer resolution, but instrument artifacts make this difficult. Low-temperature plasma (LTP) is suggested as a way to prepare artifact-free surfaces for accurate determination of chemical diffusion.

METHODS

A model organic layer system consisting of three 1 nm delta layers of 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (BCP) separated by three 30 nm layers of tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum (Alq3) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of LTP etching for the preparation of crater edge surfaces for subsequent compositional depth profile analysis. This was compared with depth profiles obtained using an instrument equipped with an argon cluster sputter source.

RESULTS

The quality of the depth profiles was determined by comparing the depth resolutions of the BCP delta layers. The full width at half maximum gave depth resolutions of 6.9 nm and 6.0 nm using LTP, and 6.2 nm and 5.8 nm using argon clusters. In comparison, the 1/e decay length of the trailing edge gave depth resolutions of 2.0 nm and 1.8 nm using LTP, and 3.5 nm and 3.4 nm using argon clusters.

CONCLUSIONS

The comparison of the 1/e decay lengths showed that LTP can determine the thickness and composition of the buried structures without instrument artifacts. Although it does suffer from contaminant deposition, LTP was shown to be a viable option for preparing crater edges for a more accurate determination of buried structures.

Secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging of Dictyostelium discoideum aggregation streams

High resolution imaging mass spectrometry could become a valuable tool for cell and developmental biology, but both, high spatial and mass spectral resolution are needed to enable this. In this report, we employed Bi₃ bombardment time-of-flight (Bi₃ ToF-SIMS) and C₆₀ bombardment Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance secondary ion mass spectrometry (C₆₀ FTICR-SIMS) to image Dictyostelium discoideum aggregation streams. Nearly 300 lipid species were identified from the aggregation streams. High resolution mass spectrometry imaging (FTICR-SIMS) enabled the generation of multiple molecular ion maps at the nominal mass level and provided good coverage for fatty acyls, prenol lipids, and sterol lipids. The comparison of Bi₃ ToF-SIMS and C₆₀ FTICR-SIMS suggested that while the first provides fast, high spatial resolution molecular ion images, the chemical complexity of biological samples warrants the use of high resolution analyzers for accurate ion identification.

TOF-SIMS 3D imaging of native and non-native species within HeLa cells

In this study, a non-native chemical species, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), was imaged within single HeLa cells using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). z-corrected 3D images were reconstructed that accurately portray the distribution of intracellular BrdU as well as other intracellular structures. The BrdU was localized to the nucleus of cells, whereas structures composed of CxHyOz(-) species were located in bundles on the periphery of cells. The CxHyOz(-) subcellular features had a spatial resolution at or slightly below a micrometer (900 nm), as defined by the distance between the 16% and 84% intensities in a line scan across the edge of the features. Additionally, important parameters influencing the quality of the HeLa cell 3D images were investigated. Atomic force microscopy measurements revealed that the HeLa cells were sputtered at a rate of approximately 4 nm per 10(13) C60(+) ions/cm(2) at 10 keV and a 45° incident angle. Optimal 3D images were acquired using a Bi3(+) liquid metal ion gun operating in the simultaneous high mass and spatial resolution mode.

Characterization of sample preparation methods of NIH/3T3 fibroblasts for ToF-SIMS analysis

The information that is obtained from single cells during time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) analysis is influenced by the method that was used to prepare the cells. The removal of extracellular media before analysis is necessary, but the rinsing technique should not damage the plasma membrane of the cell. The presence of intracellular salts reduced the secondary ion yield an average of 2.6-fold during Bi3 (+)/C60 (++) depth profiles. Chemical fixation followed by rinsing removed a majority of the intracellular salts, "recovering" the positive secondary ion yields. The formaldehyde-fixation process removed a majority of the intracellular Cl(-), but other key anions were not removed in significant amounts. The data presented here is consistent the anion neutralization mechanism largely responsible for the lower ion yields. All of the organic secondary ions that were detected in the freeze-dried cells were also detected in the formaldehyde-fixed cells, suggesting that the fixation process did not remove any molecular species to an extent that is detectable by ToF-SIMS. Compared to freeze dried cells, well preserved, frozen-hydrated cells showed little increase, or a decreased yield, for most low mass ions, but an increased yield for larger mass fragments. This is consistent with a reduced damage cross section at cryogenic analysis temperatures, although proton donation from water and reduction the salt effects in the presence of water likely also play roles. Numerous ions detected from the frozen-hydrated cells were not detected from the freeze dried cells, however many of these ions were attributed to chemical combinations of water, salts and the ammonium acetate rinsing solution.

Ambient low temperature plasma etching of polymer films for secondary ion mass spectrometry molecular depth profiling

The feasibility of a low temperature plasma (LTP) probe as a way to prepare polymer bevel cross sections for secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) applications was investigated. Poly(lactic acid) and poly(methyl methacrylate) films were etched using He LTP, and the resulting crater walls were depth profiled using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) to examine changes in chemistry over the depth of the film. ToF-SIMS results showed that while exposure to even 1 s of plasma resulted in integration of atmospheric nitrogen and contaminants to the newly exposed surface, the actual chemical modification to the polymer backbone was found to be chemistry-dependent. For PLA, sample modification was confined to the top 15 nm of the PLA surface regardless of plasma exposure dose, while measurable change was not seen for PMMA. The confinement of chemical modification to 15 nm or less of the top surface suggests that LTP can be used as a simple method to prepare cross sections or bevels of polymer thin films for subsequent analysis by surface-sensitive molecular depth profiling techniques such as SIMS, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and other spatially resolved mass spectrometric techniques.

ToF-SIMS depth profiling of cells: z-correction, 3D imaging, and sputter rate of individual NIH/3T3 fibroblasts

Proper display of three-dimensional time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) imaging data of complex, nonflat samples requires a correction of the data in the z-direction. Inaccuracies in displaying three-dimensional ToF-SIMS data arise from projecting data from a nonflat surface onto a 2D image plane, as well as possible variations in the sputter rate of the sample being probed. The current study builds on previous studies by creating software written in Matlab, the ZCorrectorGUI (available at http://mvsa.nb.uw.edu/), to apply the z-correction to entire 3D data sets. Three-dimensional image data sets were acquired from NIH/3T3 fibroblasts by collecting ToF-SIMS images, using a dual beam approach (25 keV Bi(3)(+) for analysis cycles and 20 keV C(60)(2+) for sputter cycles). The entire data cube was then corrected by using the new ZCorrectorGUI software, producing accurate chemical information from single cells in 3D. For the first time, a three-dimensional corrected view of a lipid-rich subcellular region, possibly the nuclear membrane, is presented. Additionally, the key assumption of a constant sputter rate throughout the data acquisition was tested by using ToF-SIMS and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis of the same cells. For the dried NIH/3T3 fibroblasts examined in this study, the sputter rate was found to not change appreciably in x, y, or z, and the cellular material was sputtered at a rate of approximately 10 nm per 1.25 × 10(13) ions C(60)(2+)/cm(2).

Identifying individual cell types in heterogeneous cultures using secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging with C60 etching and multivariate analysis

Tissue engineering approaches fabricate and subsequently implant cell-seeded and unseeded scaffold biomaterials. Once in the body, these biomaterials are repopulated with somatic cells of various phenotypes whose identification upon explantation can be expensive and time-consuming. We show that imaging time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) can be used to distinguish mammalian cell types in heterogeneous cultures. Primary rat esophageal epithelial cells (REEC) were cultured with NIH 3T3 mouse fibroblasts on tissue culture polystyrene and freeze-dried before TOF-SIMS imaging. Results show that a short etching sequence with C(60)(+) ions can be used to clean the sample surface and improve the TOF-SIMS image quality. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used to identify peaks whose contributions to the total variance in the multivariate model were due to either the two cell types or the substrate. Using PLS-DA, unknown regions of cellularity that were otherwise unidentifiable by SIMS could be classified. From the loadings in the PLS-DA model, peaks were selected that were indicative of the two cell types and TOF-SIMS images were created and overlaid that showed the ability of this method to distinguish features visually.

Exploring the surface sensitivity of TOF-secondary ion mass spectrometry by measuring the implantation and sampling depths of Bi(n) and C60 ions in organic films

The surface sensitivity of Bi(n)(q+) (n = 1, 3, 5, q = 1, 2) and C(60)(q+) (q = 1, 2) primary ions in static time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) experiments were investigated for molecular trehalose and polymeric tetraglyme organic films. Parameters related to surface sensitivity (impact crater depth, implantation depth, and molecular escape depths) were measured. Under static TOF-SIMS conditions (primary ion doses of 1 × 10(12) ions/cm(2)), the 25 keV Bi(1)(+) primary ions were the most surface sensitive with a molecular escape depth of 1.8 nm for protein films with tetraglyme overlayers, but they had the deepest implantation depth (~18 and 26 nm in trehalose and tetraglyme films, respectively). The 20 keV C(60)(+2) primary ions were the second most surface sensitive with a slightly larger molecular escape depth of 2.3 nm. The most important factor that determined the surface sensitivity of the primary ion was its impact crater depth or the amount of surface erosion. The most surface sensitive primary ions, Bi(1)(+) and C(60)(+2), created impact craters with depths of 0.3 and 1.0 nm, respectively, in tetraglyme films. In contrast, Bi(5)(+2) primary ions created impact craters with a depth of 1.8 nm in tetraglyme films and were the least surface sensitive with a molecular escape depth of 4.7 nm.

Compositional mapping of the surface and interior of mammalian cells at submicrometer resolution

We present progress toward imaging of chemical species within intact mammalian cells using secondary ion mass spectrometry, including the simultaneous mapping of subcellular elemental and molecular species along with intrinsic membrane-specific cellular markers. Results from imaging both the cell surface and cell interior exposed by site-specific focused ion beam milling demonstrate that in-plane resolutions of approximately 400-500 nm can be achieved. The results from mapping cell surface phosphatidylcholine and several other molecular ions present in the cells establish that spatially resolved chemical signatures of individual cells can be derived from novel multivariate analysis and classification of the molecular images obtained at different m/z ratios. The methods we present here for specimen preparation and chemical imaging of cell interiors provide the foundation for obtaining 3D molecular maps of unstained mammalian cells, with particular relevance for probing the subcellular distributions of small molecules, such as drugs and metabolites.

ToF-SIMS Depth Profiling of Trehalose: The Effect of Analysis Beam Dose on the Quality of Depth Profiles

In static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) experiments, an analysis dose of 10(12) ions/cm(2) typically produces optimum results. However, the same dose used in dual beam depth profiling can significantly degrade the signal. This is because during each analysis cycle a high-energy beam is rastered across the same x-y location on the sample. If a sufficient amount of sample is not removed during each sputter cycle, the subsequent analysis cycle will sample a volume degraded by the previous analysis cycles. The dimensionless parameter R' is used to relate the amount of damage accumulated in the sample to the amount of analysis beam dose used relative to the etching beam. Depth profiles from trehalose films spin-cast onto silicon wafers acquired using Bi(1) (+) and Bi(3) (+) analysis beams were compared. As R' increased, the depth profile and the depth resolution (interface width) both degraded. At R' values below 0.04 for both Bi(1) (+) and Bi(3) (+), the shape of the profile as well as the depth resolution (9 nm) indicated that dual beam analysis can be superior to C(60) single beam depth profiling.