Current Problems in Low Energy Ion Beam Materials Analysis with SIMS

A major requirement of the secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) technique is a universal procedure for preparing standards by introducing controlled amounts of any desired element into any substrate. Ion implantation ideally fills this role. Conversely, a major requirement for ion implantation research is a universal analytical technique capable of characterizing the in-depth distribution of implanted species at concentrations of ~ 1 ppm and below. This requirement is being increasingly satisfied by secondary ion mass spectrometry. This review will illustrate the complementary nature of these two techniques with examples from current research.