secundaireionenmassaspectrometrie

Secundaireionenmassenspektrometrie, often abbreviated as SIMS, is a powerful surface-sensitive analytical technique used to determine the elemental and isotopic composition of a sample. It works by bombarding the sample surface with a primary ion beam, typically of an inert gas like argon or cesium. This impact sputters secondary ions from the sample. These secondary ions are then extracted, focused, and mass-analyzed by a mass spectrometer, which separates them based on their mass-to-charge ratio. The intensity of the detected ions at each mass-to-charge ratio is then used to quantify the elemental and isotopic abundance in the sample's surface region.

SIMS is renowned for its high sensitivity, capable of detecting elements at parts-per-billion or even parts-per-trillion levels. It offers excellent spatial resolution, allowing for imaging and depth profiling. Depth profiling involves sequentially removing material from the surface and analyzing the composition at increasing depths, providing information about the sample's layered structure and diffusion processes. The ability to perform isotopic analysis is another key strength of SIMS, making it invaluable for applications such as semiconductor analysis, materials science, geology, and biological studies where precise isotopic ratios are critical. The technique can be applied to a wide range of solid, liquid, and gaseous samples, though preparation methods can vary.