ToF-SIMS is on the rise.

Our ToF-SIMS special looks at one of the most exciting areas of application for fast ADCs and TDCs.

TOF-SIMS (Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry) analysis technology has developed considerably in recent years and has become increasingly widespread in various scientific and industrial fields.

For example, TOF-SIMS is widely used in materials science, chemistry, biology, and geosciences. Universities and research institutes use the technique extensively for surface analysis, 3D imaging, and depth profiling.
In particular, the spatial and mass spectrometric resolution of TOF-SIMS has been greatly improved over time. The application has developed from pure surface analyses to more complex 3D imaging processes and the analysis of nanostructured materials.

In industry, real-time monitoring via ToF-SIMS is now possible as part of quality control. TOF-SIMS is increasingly being used in combination with other analytical techniques, which has led to new interdisciplinary applications. Examples are the combined use of AFM, Raman spectroscopy, and TEM (transmission electron microscopy).

In our article, we not only explain how modern ToF-SIMS devices work but also provide an overview of the current areas of application and discuss the strengths and limitations of this measurement method.

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