Glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (GDOES) depth profiling analysis of anodic alumina films—a depth resolution study

Abstract

Anodic alumina films with precisely known distributions of incorporated species have been used as standards for glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (GDOES) depth profiling analysis to quantify depth resolution. It is evident that the depth resolution of GDOES is excellent and is comparable with, or better than, secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiling of similar films. Further, the sensitivity for detection of elements is also high, given the amounts of impurity species detected successfully. Thus, GDOES, with its further ability of routine and rapid analysis of films (organic, inorganic or metallic) of thicknesses up to several hundreds of microns, has significant potential in studies of the corrosion and filming behaviour of materials. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.