Image Processing SIMS

One of the potentially most useful capabilities of SIMS, which has been somewhat underutilized in the past, is imaging. The ability to quantitatively map the distribution of elements on the micron scale with high sensitivity and isotopic discrimination is unique to SIMS. This capability is a powerful tool for investigation of the solid state, where properties correlate not only with chemical composition, but also with the degree of chemical heterogeneity. SIMS images give information on both the composition and morphology of the sample. To date, SIMS imaging has been mostly used in a qualitative manner to solve problems. With the advent of digital image processing techniques, more quantitative information can be extracted from image data, which in turn will improve the problem-solving capabilities of SIMS.