Determination of the ionization coefficient of carbon on an example of silicate glasses analysis by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS)

Abstract

A method is proposed for the quantitative estimation of the carbon ionization coefficient followed by the determination of its concentration in silicate glasses by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The method is based on the calculation of the sputtering ratio of carbon from the surface of silicate glasses. The dependence of the ionization coefficient on the NBO/T parameter (ratio of the number of nonbridging oxygen atoms to the number tetrahedrally coordinated silicon and aluminum ions), corresponding to the structure and composition of the matrix, is shown. The dependences obtained are calibration graphs for the determination of the ionization coefficient and for the subsequent quantitative estimation of carbon in a silicate sample for a particular SIMS instrument and experimental conditions.