Standard Practice for Reporting Sputter Depth Profile Data in Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS)

1.1 This practice covers the information needed to describe and report instrumentation, specimen parameters, experimental conditions, and data reduction procedures. SIMS sputter depth profiles can be obtained using a wide variety of primary beam excitation conditions, mass analysis, data acquisition, and processing techniques (1-4).

1.2 Limitations—This practice is limited to conventional sputter depth profiles in which information is averaged over the analyzed area in the plane of the specimen. Ion microprobe or microscope techniques permitting lateral spatial resolution of secondary ions within the analyzed area, for example, image depth profiling, are excluded.

1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.