Millbrook Instruments Limited
MILLBROOK
Instruments Limited
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Applications

All solid objects interact with their environment through the surface. Many industries are now realising the benefits of controlling and characterising the surface molecular layers, and are using surface engineering to create materials with tailored surfaces for enhanced performance.

Establishing the chemical composition of a surface is therefore a vital step towards understanding its behaviour. The MiniSIMS uses Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) to analyse the surface of a solid object.

 

The Millbrook MiniSIMS provides

  • Monolayer surface information
  • Detection of all elements
  • Identification of organic species
  • High sensitivity
  • Fast chemical imaging
  • Thin film profiling

The MiniSIMS alpha is a unique desktop instrument designed to make routine surface analysis fast and affordable.

The higher performance MiniSIMS ToF, based on a time of flight mass spectrometer, offers complete retrospective data analysis capability. It has significant advantages for:-

analysis of unknown samples e.g. troubleshooting as well as quality control

analysis of unique areas e.g. defects

analysis of organic materials

analysis of small areas (100 micron and below)


The Millbrook MiniSIMS is used for the analysis of

Surface Coatings & Treatments • Electronic Components • Semiconductors • Electrodes & Sensors • Lubricants • Catalysts • Adhesives • Thin Films • Packaging Materials • Corrosion Studies

 
Application Notes
pdf icon Monitoring Nanoscale Coatings (269kb) pdf icon Monitoring Monolayer Coatings (216kb)
pdf icon Detecting Surface Contamination (207kb) pdf icon Identifying Surface Contamination (220kb)
pdf icon Use of the MiniSIMS with XPS (401kb) pdf icon Use of the MiniSIMS with FTIR (726kb)
pdf icon Analysis of Self-Assembled Monolayers (1.16mb)  
 

The MiniSIMS is extensively used at LG.Philips Displays laboratory for internal process monitoring and control due its high sample throughput. It is also offered externally as one of several surface analysis techniques for industrial problem solving. For detailed Application Notes (http://www.lpdlabservices.co.uk/applications/index.php) of SIMS work in conjunction with other techniques, please see:-

Metal Component Thermal Blackening Process Failure Solved by SIMS
pdf icon http://www.lpdlabservices.co.uk/documents/04-107en01.pdf (140kb)

Aqueous Degreasing Replacement of Solvent Based Cleaning Processes for Environmental Reasons - SIMS Reveals the Pitfalls
pdf icon http://www.lpdlabservices.co.uk/documents/04-102en01.pdf (285kb)

Sputter Problem Solving and Target End of Life Determination by SIMS
pdf icon http://www.lpdlabservices.co.uk/documents/04-106en01.pdf (179kb)

Articles
pdf icon Extreme Microscopy (434kb) pdf iconMass Spectrometry for the Masses (391kb)
pdf icon New Tools for the Surface Engineer (242kb) pdf icon Myths about the SIMS Monster (931kb)
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Scientific Publications

SIMS as a subnanometer probe: A new tool for chemical profile analysis of grafted molecules
F. Cherioux, B. Gauthier-Manuel, J. Eccles, T. Grenut, M. Briant Applied Surface Science 253 2007 6140

Development of a ToF version of the desktop MiniSIMS utilising a continuous primary ion beam
A.J. Eccles, P. Vohralik, B. Cliff, C. Jones, N. Long Applied Surface Science 252 2006 7308

Development of a ToF version of the desktop MiniSIMS: instrument design and applications
B. Cliff, A. J. Eccles, C. Jones, N. Long, P. Vohralik Surface & Interface Analysis 38 2006 699

Inhibition of corrosion-driven organic coating delamination on zinc by polyaniline
G. Williams, R.J. Holness, D.A. Worsley & H.N. McMurray Electrochemistry Communications 6 2004 549

Rapid characterisation of surface modifications and treatments using a benchtop SIMS instrument
D.S. McPhail, M. Sokhana, E.E. Reesa, B. Cliff, A.J. Eccles & R.J. Chater Applied Surface Science 231-2 2004 967

Laboratory teaching of SIMS to university undergraduates
R.J. Chater & D.S. McPhail Applied Surface Science 231-2 2004 141

The application of a compact and low-cost SIMS instrument to the rapid identification of contamination in silicon IC processing
N. Long, A.J. Eccles & B. Cliff Advances in Electronics Manufacturing Technology Vertilog 2004 EMT1:1

The kinetics of chloride-induced filiform corrosion on aluminum alloy AA2024-T3
G. Williams & H. N. McMurray Journal of the Electrochemical Society 150 (8) 2003 B380

The mechanism of group (I) chloride initiated filiform corrosion on iron
G. Williams & H.N. McMurray Electrochemistry Communications 5 2003 871

Application of SIMS to silver tarnish at the British Museum
K. Hallett, D. Thickett, D.S. McPhail & R.J. Chater Applied Surface Science 203-4 2003 789

Fluoride uptake by glass ionomer cements: a surface analysis approach
F.H. Jones, B.M. Hutton, P.C. Hadley, A.J. Eccles, T.A. Steele, R.W. Billington & G.J. Pearson Biomaterials 24 2003 107

Surface chemical derivatization of plasma-treated PET and PTFE
T.K. Markkula, J.A. Hunt, F.R. Pu & R.L. Williams Surface & Interface Analysis 34 2002 583

Routine problem solving with the SIMS Chemical Microscope
A.J. Eccles & T.A. Steele International Journal Adhesion & Adhesives 21 2001 281

Surface chemistry and wettability of plasma-treated PTFE
D.J. Wilson, A.J. Eccles, T.A. Steele, R.L. Williams & R.C. Pond Surface & Interface Analysis 30 2000 36

Spectral differences and their interpretation for the identification of common polymers
A.J. Eccles, T.A. Steele & D. Briggs Proceedings SIMS XII, Eds. A. Benninghoven et al., Elsevier Amsterdam 2000 p. 781

Recent development of the Chemical Microscope - a low-cost automated imaging SIMS instrument
A.J. Eccles & T.A. Steele Proceedings SIMS XII, Eds. A. Benninghoven et al., Elsevier Amsterdam 2000 p. 229

SIMS analysis of conducting polypyrrole-silica gel composites
C. Perruchot, M.M. Chehimi, M. Delamar, A.J. Eccles, T.A. Steele & C.D. Mair Synthetic Metals 113 2000 53

Influence of boron and nitrogen doping levels on the quality and morphology of CVD diamond
A.J. Eccles, T.A. Steele, A. Afzal, C.A. Rego, W. Ahmed, P.W. May & S.M. Leeds Thin Solid Films 343 1999 627

Broadening the horizons of SIMS: the low-cost Chemical Microscope
A.J. Eccles, T.A. Steele & A.W. Robinson Applied Surface Science 144 1999 106

Problem solving applications of a low-cost fully automated SIMS Chemical Microscope
A.J. Eccles & T.A. Steele Proceedings of SIMS XI, Eds. G. Gillen et al., John Wiley & Sons Chichester 1998 p. 775

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