Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy

Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) is a surface analysis technique that uses high-energy ions (in the MeV range) to probe the composition of materials. When these ions interact with the sample, they elastically scatter, and the energy and angle of the scattered ions provide information about the mass of the atoms in the sample.1

RBS differs from ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS) by using higher-energy ions, allowing them to penetrate deeper into the material (around 1 micrometer). While not intrinsically surface-sensitive, RBS can analyze surface layers as thin as 3 nanometers if they are on a bulk material. A unique capability of RBS is its ability to measure the thickness of surface layers up to 50 nanometers by analyzing the slight energy loss of ions as they enter and exit the sample. This technique is particularly effective for analyzing a heavy-atom layer on a light-atom matrix.1