The application of high resolution surface analysis techniques is essential for the development and understanding of novel materials. The benefits of surface analysis can be found over a huge range innovative materials technologies such as nanotechnology, biotechnology, energy materials and structural materials to name a few.
Many techniques exist to investigate the different aspects of physics and chemistry of surfaces and typically more than one surface analysis technique will be required to successfully answer the questions posed regarding a surface or an interface. Appropriate selection, therefore, requires an understanding of the science and capabilities of the technique available. This is ever more critical as the complexity of many of the newly developed materials increases putting new demands on the techniques available.
In this talk I will discuss two UHV surface analysis techniques: ToF-SIMS (time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry) and LEIS (low energy ion scattering). Some basic theory of the techniques will be presented coupled with some practical examples of the techniques.