SIMS: a capable method for BCN quantification

Obvious matrix effects often inhibit major component analysis carried out with secondary ion mass spectrometry SIMS.. Although MCsq secondary ions M represents the element to be analyzed.are used — already know as matrix independent for some compounds — feasibility of SIMS quantification has separately be validated for each new system. For the ternary system consisting of boron, carbon and nitrogen BCN., all features possibly influences quantification, i.e. uniqueness of detected secondary ion signals, charge effects, altering measurement conditions, reproducibility or matrix effects are investigated and taken into account. The results indicate that an accurate quantification applying SIMS for major component analysis is possible for this system. Furthermore, deviations between SIMS results and real compositions are determined. q2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.