RUTHERFORD BACKSCATTERING SPECTROMETRY - REMINISCENCES AND PROGRESSES

This paper documents a few historical events important to the developm ent of Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). The classical exp eriment of Geiger and the atomic model and theoretical understanding o f Rutherford on alpha-scattering are fundamental to the backscattering technique. The rapid growth of atomic and nuclear physics from the 19 20s to the 1960s with the development of tools and methods such as acc elerators and solid state detectors all contributed to improvements in and proliferation of RBS applications. Research in semiconductors and in thin-film areas especially benefited from the development of RBS. Recent trends to extend RBS into a broader region of energies and a br oader selection of projectiles will also be discussed.