Monolayer analysis in Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy

Abstract
Energy spectra of 300‐keV He ions backscattered from single‐crystal surfaces are measured with a 90° magnetic spectrometer at grazing exit angles. The ions scattered from successive atomic layers can be resolved as separated peaks in the energy spectra. It is shown that both high energy resolution and the grazing angle technique are essential to the monolayer analysis.