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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Depth profile analysis apparatus

Patent ·
OSTI ID:4102368

An apparatus and method for depth profile analysis is described in which atoms are removed from a surface by sputtering thereby forming a crater from successively exposed portions of a solid, which portions are then elementally analyzed. The improvement of the present invention comprises deflecting a primary ion beam across the surface to form a crater extending about a predetermined region of the surface and enabling the production of a signal indicative of surface atoms of a given mass only when the primary ion beam is impinging upon a smaller portion of the predetermined region, thereby ensuring that the signal is representative of atoms within the smaller portion, such as at the bottom of the crater. (auth)

Research Organization:
Originating Research Org. not identified
NSA Number:
NSA-33-014959
Assignee:
to Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.
Patent Number(s):
US 3916190
OSTI ID:
4102368
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English