ABSTRACT
Acknowledgments ................................................................................................ 130
References ............................................................................................................ 130
4.1 INTRODUCTION
We present analytical methods that use swift (typically 0.1 to 1MeV/u) ion beams to
determine the composition and structure of solids, focussing on methods that may be
applied to analyze the composition and crystallographic structure (including depth
profiles) of films laterally homogeneous over a few square millimeters. These
methods are rapid (typical spectrum acquisition times <10 min), quantitative (com-
position determined within a few percent), sensitive (down to 1/100 atomic mono-
layer in favorable cases), and offer depth resolution ranging from 1 to 100 nm,
usually with negligible damage to the sample. It should be noted that ion beams
can also be focused and scanned with micrometer resolution in the nuclear microp-
robe configuration for analysis of laterally inhomogeneous samples. The very high
beam current densities needed for microbeam analysis often restrict use to those
methods such as particle-induced x-ray emission (PIXE) having high cross-sections
or samples able to withstand the damage incurred by the analysis.
