Use of nuclear method analysis in ultrahigh vacuum. Application to the hydrogen dosage in solids

It is possible to determine hydrogen by the 1H(15N,αγ)12C nuclear reaction, in an ultra-high vacuum and with sample temperature monitoring, without reducing the detection efficiency of the γ rays emitted. This method is sensitive on the surface of the samples as well as in the core. Further, its resolution in depth on the surface is less than 50 x 10-4 μm for elements with an atomic number above that of silicon. This surface analysis technique competes with and supplements the performance of the Auger and ESCA spectrometries. The cooling or heating of the samples in-situ from -1500C to +4500C enables an initial approach to be made to the phenomena of adsorption of the hydrogenated species on the surface of the samples. The possibility of plotting concentration profiles to depths of around a micrometer, also provides a means for studying the sorption of hydrogen in solids. The importance is brought to light of the quality of the residual vacuum and mainly of the partial steam pressure in the curves showing the change in the concentration of surface contamination hydrogen according to the quantity of incident ions. At temperatures above 3000C, the radiolysis and desorption phenomena of the species thus created become very significant. These were obtained only by making a study in greater depth of the validity conditions of the model used for describing the effusion of hydrogen under the analytical beam