Improvement in quantitative correction in SIMS using Saha-Eggert equation

Summary Improvement in Quantitative Correction in SIMS Using Saha-Eggert Equation A quantitative conversion of the secondary-ion current intensities into the elemental concentrations using the Saha-Eggert ionization equation was tried with a 78Ni-18Cr-1Ti-1Fe-1Cu-1Zr (each in at %) alloy. Improvements were made on the best-fit search of fitting parameters (T andN _e). It proved to be important for the success in the conversion (1) to use the secondary-ion intensities from the sample in oxygen gas of >1.5×10^–3 Pa, (2) to add the molecularion intensities to those of mother atomic ions even when the former are small and (3) to search for the fitting parameters considering the relative errors of concentrations not only for the internal standards but for as many elements as possible. With these procedures the largest error of elemental concentration could be reduced to 22% (Ar⁺ bombardment), 31% (O₂ ⁺ bombardment) and 19% (N₂ ⁺bombardment).A part of this paper was presented at the 4th International Conference on Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, Osaka, November 1983.