Limits on the Accuracy of Stoichiometry Determined by Rutherford Backscattering Using Computer Peak Fitting.

ABSTRACTRutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) using MeV ions is capable of routinely measuring absolute atomic areal densities to an accuracy of about 3% and relative areal densities to a fraction of 1% if the elastic scattering peaks from different elements do not overlap. The accuracy of areal density measurements can be seriously reduced in cases where the sample thickness is large enough to cause overlapping peaks. We report here an investigation of the use of standard computer fitting techniques to analyze overlapping peaks in elastic scattering spectra and its effect on the accuracy of the final results of an RBS analysis.