SURFACE AND INTERFACE ANALYSIS IN MATERIALS SCIENCE - METHOD SELECTION, DIFFICULTIES AND APPLICATIONS

The aim of the present paper is to illustrate, through several example s on metals, semi-conductors and oxides, how a sensible choice of surf ace or near-surface analysis methods (secondary emission mass spectrom etry, photoelectron- or Auger electron spectroscopy, glow discharge op tical spectroscopy, analytical scanning electron microscopy, nuclear a nalysis), and the combination on the same material of various analysis methods, leads to a characterisation of the material's behaviour. Sti ll based on those examples, a comparative discussion on the respective performances of the methods, their complementarity and their limits i s given. The problems of detection limit, depth resolution for concent ration profiling or imbedded interface analysis and material modificat ion by the method itself are taken into account. The more and more urg ent need for precise surface and interface characterisations, associat ed with th development of new materials (multilayers, superlattices, i on beam surface treatments, adhesive joints, etc) obliges researchers and engineers to develop a multiple analysis strategy. A modelisation of the results becomes necessary for their valuable interpretation.