Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry: Characterizing Complex Samples in Two and Three Dimensions

摘要

Over the last 10 or so years, developments in molecular secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) have taken its capability into areas previously only demonstrated in dynamic SIMS applications in the analysis of inorganic materials and especially semiconductor materials and devices. Dynamic SIMS is a very mature analytical technique that has become essential in the development and production of high-end electronic materials. The instrumentation and analytical protocols have been refined to a high level such that they can be operated reliably with high spatial resolution and ultrahigh elemental sensitivity. Although SIMS is frequently suggested to be a nonquantitative technique, in these applications high levels of precise quantification are realized and depth profiling with high depth resolution is routine. While molecular SIMS, previously referred to as static SIMS cannot be said to have reached these levels of capability, it has progressed significantly and we can begin to believe that in the foreseeable future it might become a similarly routine and reliable high end analytical tool for molecular materials.