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ION BEAM ETCHING EFFECTS IN BIOLOGICAL MICROANALYSIS
Citation:
Linton, R., M. Farmer, P. Ingram, S. Walker, AND J. Shelburne. ION BEAM ETCHING EFFECTS IN BIOLOGICAL MICROANALYSIS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-82/453.
Description:
Oxygen ion beam sputter etching used in SIMS has been shown to produce morphologic effects which have similarities and differences in comparison to rf plasma etching of biological specimens. Sputter yield variations resulting from structural microheterogeneity are illustrated (e.g. etch-resistant nucleoli in preferentially etched nuclei), including their impact upon ion image formation in an ion microanalyzer. These image artifacts must be evaluated before secondary ion images revealing subcellular organelles can be related quantitatively to elemental localization in cells or tissues. To minimize gross surface roughness effects such as cone formation induced by ion bombardment, ion imaging studies of thin sections using low primary ion doses are indicated.