The AXIS Nova incorporates market leading AXIS technology including coaxial charge neutralization, magnetic immersion lens and delay-line photoelectron detection with a new level of automated sample handling in a compact instrument. The AXIS Nova is ideal for automated QA and problem solving without compromising the ultimate spectroscopic performance required for demanding research applications.

PARALLEL IMAGING AND SMALL AREA SPECTROSCOPY
The AXIS Nova provides unrivalled performance for fast elemental and chemical state imaging. The spectrometer uses a 165mm mean radius hemispherical analyser (HSA) for spectroscopy combined with the Kratos patented spherical mirror analyser (SMA) for parallel imaging. In spectroscopy mode the large radius HSA ensures excellent photoelectron transmission guaranteeing high sensitivity and high energy resolution. Small spot spectroscopy is achieved by inserting an aperture into the electrostatic lens column forming a virtual probe at the surface as discussed further in technical note MO224.
This approach to small area analysis removes problems of sample charging and X-ray induced degradation associated with micro-focused X-ray sources. Small spot spectra can be acquired from areas as small as 10µm diameter from any point within the field of view of the lens. A unique electrostatic deflection system allows the position of the virtual probe to be deflected across the surface of the sample. The position for acquisition of small spot spectra can be defined by a simple mouse click from a parallel photoelectron image with the advantage that there is no need for translation of the sample. Alternatively the high resolution in-situ optical microscope image of the sample may be used to define the XPS analysis position directly. In parallel imaging mode photoelectrons at a discrete kinetic energy (binding energy) are focused on the two-dimensional photoelectron detector producing a direct image of the surface without scanning. The relative position of the photoelectrons is maintained as they pass through the SMA allowing acquisition of parallel images in a matter of seconds in contrast to the slower pixel by pixel acquisition of XPS mapping. The speed of parallel image acquisition has the obvious advantage of reducing X-ray exposure to delicate samples. Using a 256 x 256 pixel array, parallel XPS images of the sample surface with a spatial resolution of <3µm can be acquired. Elemental or chemical differences may be easily imaged even if they are not visible by optical inspection. The properties and design of the SMA mean that the parallel images have both high spatial and high energy resolution. Data (below) show hydrocarbon and C-F chemical state images for a plasma patterned sample. The images were also used to define the analysis position for 27µm small spot spectra without translating the sample.