PLASMA SECONDARY-NEUTRAL AND SECONDARY-ION MASS-SPECTROMETRY INVESTIGATIONS ON CERAMIC COPPER POWDER PELLETS/

As a preliminary quantification study on ceramic materials using elect ron gas (or plasma) secondary-neutral mass spectrometry, matrix effect s are demonstrated in terms of relative element sensitivity factors wh ich are obtained from Cu pellets containing the ceramic powders AlN, B N, TiN, Si9N4O6, B4C and SiC. Additionally, measurement conditions are varied within the range of typical practical conditions. Matrix and i nstrumental effects are discussed on the background of ''usual'', ener gy, negative secondary ion and negatively post-ionized sputtered neutr al spectra yielding evidence that the emission of not only molecular, but also thermal and negative particles has to be included into the ev aluation of matrix effects. The negative mode using direct Ar+ bombard ment from the plasma is introduced into plasma secondary-neutral and s econdary-ion mass spectrometry.