Ion Beam Techniques for Thin Film Characterization: A Tutorial

Ion beams with energies of a few MeV play a crucial role in the study of thin-film multilayer structures. On one hand, Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) is a powerful, quasi-nondestructive technique for accurately determining stoichiometries, elemental areal densities, and impurity distributions in thin films. On the other hand, MeV ion beams can transfer sufficient energy to modify surfaces, making them valuable for ion beam implantation (IBM) and surface property modification.

In this tutorial, I will discuss the fundamental physical interactions between high-energy ions and surfaces, highlighting their applications in surface science. The focus will be on the acceleration of ions and their use in Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) and Particle-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). To illustrate these concepts, I will present several examples from daily samples analyzed using our in-house ion accelerator, demonstrating the practical applications of these techniques in material characterization.