Applications of Laser Techniques to Field Ion Microscopy

Abstract
Laser light has been used in field ion microscopy for rnainly three purposes. First, for studying photon stimulated effects on field ionization and field desorption. Second, pico-second pulsed-laser technique has been used in time-of-flight atomprobe operation with some advantages. Beside being able to field evaporate semiconductors and to improve the rnass and energy resolution; rnany interesting effects have been found. Third, laser light has been use for heating the very small part of the tip apex either in continuous time of in ns pulses. In the latter case, the effects of rapid heating and quenching of material surfaces, the atomic motion and surface reconstruction produced by the heating of ns laser pulses can be studied. Our studies in field ion emission, ion physics and surface science are reviewed.