Direct measurement of small diffusion coefficients with secondary ion mass spectroscopy

Abstract

Sputter sectioning in combination with secondary ion mass spectroscopy enables the determination of very small diffusion coefficients which are not attainable with classical sectioning techniques. The exceedingly good depth resolution of the sputter sectioning and the high sensitivity of the mass spectroscopy allow to resolve penetration profiles of solutes in the 10-nm range at the ppm level. Two perturbing effects, inherent to the method and limiting its sensitivity are discussed: degradation of depth resolution by surface roughening and atomic mixing, and near surface distortion of profiles by transient erosion effects. Degradation of depth resolution was minimized by use of single crystalline specimens and low energy sputtering with reactive ions. To overcome the near surface distortions a special sample preparation technique has been developed, resulting in single crystalline specimens with one or more inserted layers of the solutes to be diffused. The application of the method is demonstrated by examples of thermal- and irradiation-induced diffusion of nickel in copper, and the main errors are discussed.