Time-of-flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry of NaBF<inf>4</inf>: A comparison of atomic and polyatomic primary ions at constant impact energy

(CsI)(n)Cs+ projectiles, n = 0-3, were used to bombard a NaBF4 (sodium tetrafluoroborate) target at the limit of single ion impacts. The relative yields of ions sputtered from the target were measured and are compared as a function of the number of atoms in the primary ion. When normalized to the mass of the primary ion, sputtered ions that do not resemble the original sampler composition, (NaF)(n)F-, increase in yield as the primarY ion complexity increases. The yields of atomic species and polyatomic ions emitted presumably as intact units decrease as the projectile complexity increases.

Time-of-flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry of NaBF4: A comparison of atomic and polyatomic primary ions at constant impact energy Academic Article