Comparison of a new dead‐time correction method and conventional models for SIMS analysis

Recently, secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) has been used in the analysis of not only impurities but also matrix elements, thus requiring a wide dynamic range for SIMS analysis. However, SIMS detectors, which are mostly used in pulse counting systems, have difficulties with detector saturation. In this paper, we investigate whether a dead‐time model that was developed for X‐ray measurement is applicable for SIMS analysis. We then compare a new correction method with conventional correction methods for detector saturation in SIMS analysis. We report that the new method can better correct the intensity in regions of higher intensity than that achieved by conventional methods. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.