Secondary neutral mass spectrometr

Sputtered Neutral Mass Spectrometry (SNMS) is the mass spectrometric analysis of sputtered atoms ejected from a solid surface by energetic ion bombardment. The sputtered atoms are ionized for mass spectrometric analysis by a mechanism separate from the sputtering atomization. As such, SNMS is complementary to Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), which is the mass spectrometric analysis of sputtered ions, as distinct from sputtered atoms. The forte of SNMS analysis, compared to SIMS, is the accurate measurement of concentration depth profiles through chemically complex thin-film structures, including interfaces, with excellent depth resolution and to trace concentration levels. Genetically both SALI and GDMS are specific examples of SNMS. In this article we concentrate on post ionization only by electron impact. 

By employing a laser for the photoionization (not to be confused with laser desorption/ ionization, where a laser is irradiating a surface, see Section 2.1.21) both sensitivity and selectivity are considerably enhanced. In 1970 the first mass spectrometric analysis of laser photoionized molecular species, namely H2, was performed [54]. Two years later selective two-step photoionization was used to ionize mbidium [55]. Multiphoton ionization mass spectrometry (MPI-MS) was demonstrated in the late 1970s [56—58]. The combination of tunable lasers and MS into a multidimensional analysis tool proved to be a very useful way to investigate excitation and dissociation processes, as well as to obtain mass spectrometric data [59-62]. Because of the pulsed nature of most MPI sources TOF analyzers are preferred, but in combination with continuous wave lasers quadrupole analyzers have been utilized [63]. MPI is performed on species already in the gas phase. The analyte delivery system depends on the application and can be, for example, a GC interface, thermal evaporation from a surface, secondary neutrals from a particle impact event (see Section 2.1.18), or molecular beams that are introduced through a spray interface. There is a multitude of different source geometries. 

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and sputtered neutral mass spectrometry (SNMS) are today the most important mass spectrometric techniques for surface analysis, especially for thin layer analysis, for depth profiling, for the determination of contaminations and element distribution on a solid sample surface. 

Similar to any mass spectrometric experiment, ions that are intended to be converted to neutrals in NR MS should be first generated by appropriate ionization methods. In principle, all ionization methods described in Chapter 2.28 may be used for the generation of ions for NR MS studies. However, only a limited number of ionization techniques have found practical use for this purpose. They are electron impact, chemical ionization, fast atom bombardment, and secondary ion mass spectrometry. One of the reasons for not using other methods is that NR MS experiments are mostly carried out on sector instruments. The mass spectrometers of this type are usually equipped with relatively old methods of ionization. The second reason for using these methods is that they provide high ion fluxes of ions of interest. This condition is crucial for many NR MS experiments because of the overall low total efficiency (<0.1%) of the neutralization-reionization process. 

Whereas the de.sorption of atoms and small molecular clusters can be described in a satisfactory way by the formation of collision ca.scades, it is surprising that large molecular species and even molecular constituents that are themially unstable and cannot be vaporized are also emitted from the first monolayer of a surface as intact neutral particles and as positive or negative. secondary ions. This phenomenon provides the basis for the mass spectrometric analysis of molecular surfaces [11, 12]. It is, however, beyond the scope of this chapter to discuss in detail the emission of large particles. For possible explanations of the... 

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