Correction of energy shift in measurements of solute segregation by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy

摘要

Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) is a sensitive technique for measuring the elemental composition of a specimen in the near-surface region. Studies of radiation effects in materials, such as radiation-induced segregation of solute elements to the external surface, often employ RBS to measure specimen composition because the high-energy ions can be used to produce radiation damage and also serve as the RBS profile ions. When small amounts of segregation are being measured, a shift in energy calibration renders the acquired data meaningless: the resulting edge shift in the spectra produces spurious contributions near the elemental leading edges that may greatly exceed the amount of segregation being measured. A simple method is proposed for correcting errors in measurement due to energy shift.