ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES WITH A NUCLEAR MICROPROBE

Nuclear microprobes have proved to be versatile tools to perform inves tigations in materials science with a lateral resolution of typically 1 to 10 mu m. Many of the commonly utilized ion beam assisted analytic al techniques, like PIXE (Particle Induced X-Ray Emission), RBS (Ruthe rford Back Scattering), NRA (Nuclear Reaction Analysis), and Channelin g can be applied with a nuclear microprobe. Additionally, there are me thods typical for the nuclear microprobe, e.g. STIM (Scanning Transmis sion Ion Microscopy). The nuclear microprobe used here has been applie d successfully to the analysis of geological and biological specimens and is currently being modified by the introduction of a superconducti ng solenoid as focusing element to allow higher lateral resolution. Es pecially the analysis and modification of electronic devices will beco me possible. An overview of the analytical techniques practiced with t he nuclear microprobe is given with emphasis on laterally resolved tra ce element analysis.