Local Electrode Atom Probe: LEAP 6000 XR

Overview

The CAMECA LEAP 6000 XR is the latest generation of CAMECA's Local Electrode Atom Probe (LEAP) line, first introduced in 2003 and long established as the workhorse platform for atom probe tomography research. Like other APT instruments, it uses time-of-flight mass spectrometry to field-evaporate and identify atoms from a needle-shaped specimen mounted at a local electrode, reconstructing a 3D nanoscale compositional map. The LEAP 6000 XR adds deep UV (DUV) laser pulsing to the proven local electrode design and remains compatible with microtip specimen arrays and CAMECA's automation features for high sample-throughput environments. It is also the first 3D Atom Probe capable of simultaneous voltage-and-laser pulsing (VLP), a hybrid mode that reduces background and improves detection sensitivity. The LEAP 6000 XR is intended for user facilities and near-fab laboratories that need high sample volume, improved yield, and higher sensitivity for research and process-monitoring applications.

Local Electrode Design and Microtip Compatibility

The LEAP 6000 XR inherits the proven local electrode design of previous LEAP generations, which enables high sample throughput through compatibility with microtip specimen arrays. This makes it well suited to user facilities serving a wide range of users and samples, as well as near-fab laboratories focused on high-volume process monitoring. The platform maintains the microtip compatibility and automation needed to support a high sample volume environment.

Deep UV Laser Pulsing

The LEAP 6000 XR adds deep UV (DUV) laser pulsing to the local electrode design to deliver higher yield and improved data quality. The deep UV wavelength produces more uniform heat absorption and reduces evaporation field differences across layered materials, resulting in more uniform specimen shapes during analysis. In experiments through a Si/SiO2/Si structure, this translated into specimen yield improvements of more than 4 times and analysis throughput improvements of more than 5 times compared with the LEAP 5000.

Simultaneous Voltage and Laser Pulsing (VLP)

The LEAP 6000 XR is the first 3D Atom Probe to operate under simultaneous voltage and laser pulsed mode, applying both a laser pulse and a voltage pulse to the specimen at the same time. Because most spectral background arises from out-of-time evaporation caused by the standing voltage, this hybrid mode significantly lowers background levels throughout an experiment. In one demonstration, reducing the standing voltage on a silicon specimen by 30 percent between pulses reduced the background level by more than 10 times.

Improved Sensitivity and Data Quality

Combined voltage and laser pulsed operation improves the signal-to-noise ratio in the mass spectrum, making low-concentration peaks near the background level easier to find and identify. This enhances the accuracy and precision of measured peaks and supports more accurate three-dimensional visualization and analysis. A comparison of a NIST B SRM implant sample analyzed on both a LEAP 6000 and a LEAP 5000 showed consistent results after applying a constant offset to the LEAP 5000 profile.

LEAP Automation

LEAP Automation features enhance ease of use and productivity by reducing the training required for new and occasional users. Automated workflows enable off-hours and unattended operation, helping laboratories process a higher volume of specimens and achieve a faster return on investment.

Applications

The LEAP 6000 XR supports research into grain boundary chemistry in metals and alloys, dopant distribution in semiconductor devices, and interfaces in magnetostrictive and phase-change materials. It is also used in geoscience and mining applications, such as detecting trace gold clusters in arsenopyrite. Its high-throughput, automation-ready design makes it particularly suited to shared user facilities and industrial process-monitoring labs handling large numbers of specimens.

Common Specifications