An investigation into the possible use of the nuclear microprobe for the examination of surface topography

The use of the nuclear microprobe has been extended to provide information about surface topography. Measured radiation yield from particular interaction, is shown to be sensitive to surface shape and the response of both single and dual detector systems to surface variation have been examined. The analytical technique exploited was elastic scattering, a method which has already been used in conjunction with small-diameter ion beams for elemental analysis. Samples were irradiated with small-diameter beams of l.0 MeV alpha-particles produced on the 3 MeV electrostatic generator IBIS; beams were focussed down to about 3 μm on target by means of a specially designed quadrupole assembly. (T.G.)