Low-energy Rutherford backscattering-ion channeling measurement system with the use of several tens keV hydrogen and a time-of-flight spectrometer

We have developed a low-energy Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS)-ion channeling measurement system for the analysis of thin films and solid surfaces with the use of several tens keV hydrogen ions and a time-of-flight spectrometer which was originally developed by Mendenhall and Weller. The depth resolution of our system is better than that of a conventional RBS system with MeV helium ions and silicon surface barrier detectors. This measurement system is very small in size compared to the conventional RBS-ion channeling measurement system with the use of MeV He ions, because of the small ion accelerator for several tens keV ions. The analysis of crystalline thin films which utilizes ion channeling effect can be performed with the use of this low-energy RBS-ion channeling measurement system. The in situ observation of the thermal reaction between iron and silicon substrate with the use of this measurement system is also demonstrated.