Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS)

Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) is a non-destructive analytical surface technique for the determination of the structure and composition of materials. RBS is based on the measurement of the backscattering of an energetic ion beam (typically protons or alpha particles of the MeV range) impinging on a sample. The energy of the backscattered particles depends on two parameters: i) the nature of the target atom (the heavier, the higher energy) and ii) its location from the surface (the incident particle loses energy in the material then is backscattered an loses energy again to get out of the material). The technique gives access to depth profile concentration of elements. It is particularly efficient for heavy elements on light substrates (gildings, lustred ceramics, ...)