DOI: 10.1063/5.0206374 ISSN: 0003-6951

3D surface profilometry using neutral helium atoms

Aleksandar Radić, Sam M. Lambrick, Nick A. von Jeinsen, Andrew P. Jardine, David J. Ward

Three-dimensional mapping of surface structures is important in a wide range of biological, technological, healthcare, and research applications. Neutral helium atom beams have been established as a sensitive probe of topography and have already enabled structural information to be obtained from delicate samples where conventional probes would cause damage. Here, we empirically demonstrate, for the first time, a reconstruction of a complete surface profile using measurements from a modified scanning helium microscope using the heliometric stereo method and a single detector instrument geometry. Results for the surface profile of tetrahedral aluminum potassium sulfate crystals demonstrate that the areas of surfaces and facet orientations can be recovered to within 5% of the expected values.

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