Utilization of neutral particle beam in ion microanalyzer

Neutral beam analysis method was studied. The separator, which divides primary beam into charged beam and neutral beam, has been developed, and attached to an ion microanalyzer. The charge build-up phenomena caused by the bombardment of insulating samples with energetic particles was not seen in this case. The particle density of neutral beam was measured with a Li-doped Si detector. The density of neutral beam depends on the gas pressure of a duoplasmatron ion gun, the diameter of an anode orifice, and the discharge voltage of a hollow cathode. The depth profiles of Fe+ and Cr+ when the surface of Fe-25 Cr stainless steel polished with emergy paper and heated in the air was bombarded with ion beam and neutral beam were observed. The depth profiles were very similar in both cases. The working curves of 12 elements were obtained. The secondary ion yield of each element under the bombardment by ion beam was the same as that under the bombardment by neutral beam. The neutral beam analysis method is suitable to analyze insulators such as glasses or organic materials. (Kato, T.)