Application of nanoSIMS analysis for materials science is diverse and to date has been used for ‘quality control’ and understanding microscale compositional attributes of certain products. Samples have included everything from steel alloys to solar cells. NanoSIMS allows for simultaneous analysis of elemental and isotopic compositions specific to research requirements. Depth profiles of sample chemistry can be generated by analysing over and over a defined raster area.
Example 1 - characterisation of the solidification features inherited from direct strip casting in a steel with a relatively complex chemistry, and examination of chemical heterogeneity generated by rapid cooling.
Example 2 – depth profiling of a solar cell.
