Abstract
A technique for investigating atomic-scale defects and/or nanometer (sub-nanometer)-order pores near the surface of samples mounted in air (without vacuum) by positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) has been developed. The method relies on the extraction of slow positron beams from the vacuum chamber to air through a thin SiN membrane vacuum window. Using a positron beam with an injection energy of 2.6 keV and a vacuum window with a thickness of 30 nm, samples mounted in air can be investigated by PAS to a depth of ∼100 nm.