Strategies for achieving sub-nanometre depth resolution in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS)

摘要

The factors that limit the depth resolution in SIMS are discussed and experimental strategies for overcoming these limitations and achieving sub-nanometre depth resolution explored. Beam induced mixing processes are shown to be the main limitationt to sub-nanometre depth resolution in some materials whereas surface and beam induced topography dominate in others. The development of a new generation of low energy ion beams and of novel analysis strategies such as the 'level-and-linescan' approach and the imaging of focused-ion-beam (FIB) milled cross-sections are described.