Validating mass spectrometry measurements of nuclear materials via a non-contact volume analysis method of ion sputter craters

摘要

A combination of secondary ion mass spectrometry, optical profilometry and a statistically-driven algorithm was used to develop a non-contact volume analysis method to validate the useful yields of nuclear materials. The volume analysis methodology was applied to ion sputter craters created in silicon and uranium substrates sputtered by 18.5 keV O- and 6.0 keV Ar+ ions. Sputter yield measurements were determined from the volume calculations and were shown to be comparable to Monte Carlo calculations and previously reported experimental observations. Additionally, the volume calculations were used to determine the useful yields of Si+, SiO+ and SiO2 (+) ions from the silicon substrate and U+, UO+ and UO2 (+) ions from the uranium substrate under 18.5 keV O- and 6.0 keV Ar+ ion bombardment. This work represents the first steps toward validating the interlaboratory and cross-platform performance of mass spectrometry for the analysis of nuclear materials.