Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis

In 1976, a Canadian group described in detail for the first time a new ion beam analytical method based on the elastic recoil of target nuclei collided with high-energy heavy incident ions. In this case, 25–40-MeV 35Cl impinged on a multilayer C or Cu (backing)/LiF or LiOH/Cu (30–150 nm)/LiF or LiOH and H, Li, O, and F recoiled atoms were detected. These exemplified the main characteristics of elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA): its sensitivity to depth distribution and its ability to detect light elements in heavy substrates. In 1979, the use of megaelectronvolt energy 4He beams permitted the use of ERDA to be extended to depth profiling of hydrogen isotopes in the near-surface regio…