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Abstract
Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) is a very powerful method for micro and trace analysis. One of the major disadvantages of the technique is its semi-quantitative character. Quantitative analyses are only possible by using relatively tedious quantification algorithms. In this work, a number of algorithms are compared and a number of selected quantification problems are addressed. The matrix effects occurring when analyzing brass samples of varying composition were studied, and a method to determine boron and arsenic in SiO$\sb2$/Si interfaces was investigated. The capabilities of the ion microscope were extended by the implementation of a highly sensitive camera, and a method for the quantification of ion images was proposed and applied to steel and aluminum samples. Furthermore, an improved model to describe the lateral heterogeneity of element distributions in SIMS was developed.
