Relative ion sputtering yield measurements by integration of secondary ion energy distribution using a retarding-dispersive ion energy analyzer

The application of a retarding-dispersive energy analyzer as the pre-filter of a quadrupole mass analyzer has made it possible to combine a standard high-speed Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (SIMS) and a high-resolution secondary-ion energy analyzer into one instrument. Data taken with this instrument indicate the presence of very significant high-energy tails in the energy distribution of all observed secondary ions, even with relatively low (2 keV) primary ion energies. The shape of the energy distribution varies widely from element to element, for atomic compared to molecular species sputtered from a clean metal surface, and depends, for a given species sputtered from a metal surface, on the degree of surface oxidation. The variations established in the present work are large enough to introduce in many cases substantial discrepancies between published values of both relative ion sputtering yields and surface elemental concentrations and values obtained by considering the complete energy distribution. Methods of obtaining accurate secondary ion yields by integrating the energy distribution are discussed. (orig.)