Extra low carbon steel samples were yttrium implanted using an ion implanta
tion method. Composition and structural studies were carried out before and
after yttrium implantations by several analytical and structural technique
s (Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, reflection high energy electron
diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and glancing
angle X-ray diffraction) to characterize the yttrium implantation effect on
extra low carbon steel. The aim of this article is to show the contributio
ns of Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and glancing angle X-ray
diffraction (GAXRD) to the determination of yttrium depth profiles in the
samples. The results obtained by these techniques are compared to those of
the other analyses performed in this work to show the existing correlation
between composition and structural studies. Our results allow a better unde
rstanding of the effect of yttrium implantation in extra low carbon steel b
efore studying their corrosion resistance at high temperature. (C) Elsevier
Science Inc., 1999. All rights reserved.