Work

Field evaporation of germanium under THz pulses: application to atom probe tomography

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This study investigates the field evaporation behavior of germanium (Ge) under monocycle terahertz (THz) excitation using atom probe tomography (APT). The influence of THz pulse polarity, specimen geometry, and spectral content is systematically examined. Dual-polarity experiments reveal the coexistence of two emission mechanisms: field-driven and thermally assisted. Delayed evaporation features are observed, and their dependence on specimen geometry is analyzed using a nanowire heat diffusion model. The spectral filtering of the THz radiation further confirms the role of the pulse spectral content in shaping the thermal response of Ge samples. These findings identify key parameters governing THz-assisted APT of low-conductivity materials and provide guidelines for optimizing experimental conditions.

Source: APL Materials

DOI: 10.1063/5.0306293

Authors: M. Karam, M. De Tullio, J. Houard, I. Blum, A. Vella

Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Groupe de Physique des Matériaux, Université de Rouen Normandie, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées Rouen Normandie

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Materials Characterization Techniques

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,200

Funder: European Commission