Static SIMS surface analysis
Secondary ion mass spectrometry: SIMS and ToF-SIMS Analytical procedures and performances

The very low current analysis of primary ions, for which it is possible to detect the complete spectrum of the very first atomic or molecular layers of the surface (the first two atomic layers or the first molecular layer), makes SIMS, and ToF-SIMS in particular, a surface analysis method in the strict sense.

This type of analysis has developed considerably since the early 2000s, given the importance of work on organic and biological compounds, and on surface contamination (glass and semiconductors). Significant technical improvements have accompanied this development, and instruments are currently equipped with the following two primary ion sources.

Analysis cannon: heavy ions or aggregates (such as Bi ⁺ or ${\text{Bi}}_3^{+}$...