Ion beam analysis
Major interactions result in the emission of products that enable information regarding the number, type, distribution and structural arrangement of atoms to be collected.
The unparalleled success found in using ion beam analysis has been virtually unchallenged over the past thirty years until very recently with new developing technologies.
In an era where older technologies can become obsolete at an instant, ion beam analysis has remained a mainstay and only appears to be growing as researchers are finding greater use for the technique.
Scientists have found an effective way to make accurate quantitative data available by using ion beam analysis in conjunction with elastic backscattering spectrometry (EBS).
[5] The researchers of a gold nanoparticle study were able to find much greater success using ion beam analysis in comparison to other analytical techniques, such as PIXE or XRF.
Researchers are currently studying the use of ion beam analysis in conjunction with a scanning electron microscope and an Energy Dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDS).
[8] The greater amount of analytical signal used and more sensitive lighting found in ion beam analysis gives great promise to the field of forensic science.
The spatially resolved detection of light elements, for example lithium, remains challenging for most techniques based on the electronic shell of the target atoms such as XRF or SEM-EDS.
[9] Ion beam-based analytical techniques represent a powerful set of tools for non-destructive, standard-less, depth-resolved and highly accurate elemental composition analysis in the depth regime from several nm up to few μm.
[10] By changing type of incident ion, the geometry of experiment, particle energy, or by acquiring different products originating from ion-solid interaction, complementary information can be extracted.
Researchers who frequently use ion beam analysis in conjunction with their work require that this software be accurate and appropriate for describing the analytical process they are observing.
Developed during the 1980s, programs like SQEAKIE and BEAM EXPERT, afforded an opportunity to solve the complete general case by employing codes to perform direct analysis.
RUMP and SENRAS, for example, use an assumed model of the sample and simulate a comparative theoretical spectra, which afforded such properties as fine structure retention and uncertainty calculations.
Following along with the world's technological advancements, adjustments were made to enhance the programs into a state more generalized codes, spectrum evaluation, and structural determination.
[17] This class applies molecular dynamic calculations that are able to analyze both low and high energy physical interactions taking place in the ion beam analysis.
A key and popular feature that accompanies such techniques is the possibility for the computations to be incorporated in real time with the ion beam analysis experiment itself.
