Available ion beam analysis techniques at the Ion Beam Center

In principle all elements of the periodic table can be analysed by ion beam analysis (IBA). Which method to choose for a particular problem, dependents on the actual matter of interest.

Typical application field of ion beam analysis are amongst others:

• Semiconductor materials
• Solar cells
• Glasses
• Metals
• Special and compound materials
• Coatings
• Biomedical materials
• Arts and cultural heritage
• Geological samples
• Archaeometry

If you are unsure which method is suitable for you, please contact us for help.

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Rutherford-Backscattering-Spectrometry - RBS

• High detection sensitivity for heavy elements in a light matrix or on a light substrate
• Blind for light elements in a heavy matrix or on a heavy substrate
• Quantitative und standard-free method with an accuracy of < 1%
• Employing channeling for damage measurements in single crystals

Typical parameters

• Analysable elements: O to U
• Detection limits:
  (highly depending on element/matrix combination)
  • < 0.1 atom-% up to several atom-% in volume
  • 10¹² atoms/cm² up to 10¹⁵ atoms/cm² as thin films

• Analysing depth: ~ micrometres
• Depth resolution: < 5 nm using standard silicon detectors
• High resolution RBS as special application --> depth resolution < 1 nm

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Elastic recoil detection - ERD

• High detection sensitivity for light elements in a heavy matrix or on a heavy substrate
• Blind for heavy elements in a light matrix
• Quantitative und standard-free method with an accuracy of ~1%

Typical parameters

• Analysable elements: H, B-S, Cl-U

• Detection limits: < 0.1 atom-% up to >1 atom-% (in the presence of heavy elements)

• Analysing depth (max.): 0.5 - 0.75 μm
• Depth resolution: ~ 20 nm
• High resolution ERD as special application --> depth resolution ~ 0.8 nm

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Nuclear reaction analysis - NRA

• Selective detection of light elements
• Isotope sensitive
• Trace element distributions

Typical parameters

• Analysable elements: H to F
• Lateral resolution:1 - 100 mm²
• Detection limits:
  • < 0.02 atom-% (H)
  • 0.05 atom-% (D to F)

• Analysing depth: up to 5 µm (matrix-dependent)
• Depth resolution:

• • ~ 8 nm (in Si)
  • 1 nm (grazing incidence)

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Particle induced X-Ray and Gamma- Emission - PIXE/PIGE

• Non-destructive
• Simultaneous multi-element
• In vacuum or in air

Typical parameters

• Analysable elements: Li to U
• Detection limits: > 0.001 atom-%

• Analysing depth (max.): 0.5 - 5 µm

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Ion microprobe

• Lateral element distributions or depth profiles in lateral resolution of some µm's using PIXE, RBS, RBS/C, ERD and/or NRA
• Quantitative und standard-free method with an accuracy of < 5%

Typical parameters

• Analysable elements: depending on applied technique (see above)
• Lateral resolution:
  • > 1 x 1 µm²
  • > 10 x 10 µm² (channeling)
• Scanning area: < some mm²
• Detection limits:
  • 0.2 atom-% (H & B-F)
  • > 0.001 atom-% (for Al to U)

• Analysing depth (max.): 1 µm (matrix-dependent)
• Depth resolution: ~ 20 nm

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Non-desctructive quantitative Hydrogen Analysis

The method uses the nuclear reaction  

With this Resonant Nuclear Reaction Analysis (RNRA) hydrogen concentrations can be obtained from near surface layers of solids without a standard by measuring of the γ-rays. Because of the narrow resonance at the ¹⁵N-energy of 6.385 MeV the depth in the material where the reaction takes place can be varied by increasing the incidence energy for obtaining a depth profile.

 

 Properties of the hydrogen analysis beamline:

• Incident beam: ¹⁵N²⁺
• Energy: 6.3 - 12 MeV
• Beam current: 10 - 50 nA



• Beam spot: 1 - 100 mm²
 
• Detection limit: 0,02 at% (200 ppm)
• Analysing depth: up to 5 µm (depending on material)
• Depth resolution: about 8 nm (Si), minimal 1 nm (grazing incidence )
• Measured quantity: yield of the 4,43 MeV γ-rays
• Detector: 4" x 4 " BGO