Surface characterization by ion scattering spectroscopy

Ion scattering techniques have demonstrated capability to probe the composition and structure of the surface region of materials with a depth selectivity that depends on projectile energy. At low energies, it can provide surface atomic layer-specific information, while at high energies, it can provide information to depths of over a micron. Developments in equipment, the nature of the projectiles used, and the theoretical understanding of the processes involved in scattering have allowed the lowest-energy technique using projectiles < 10 keV to be optimized to either probe the surface atomic layer or differentiate the first few atomic layers that are crucial to an understanding of how a material interacts with its environment