Application of 16O RBS to heavy compound materials

Abstract The use of RBS with a 16 O beam for the analysis of high T c -superconductors has been studied. The advantages of heavy ion RBS (HIRES) for the determination of the compound stoichiometry are discussed. Even with the use of silicon surface barrier detectors a greatly enhanced mass resolution for heavy target elements can be reached. Due to the larger mass separation the determination of the stoichiometric ratios is more precise and the profiling of the heaviest element can be extended to appreciably deeper regions below the sample surface than with 4 He RBS.