Neutron Depth Profiling of Lithium in Lithium Niobate

Quantitative depth profiles of light elements such as lithium can be difficult to obtain using conventional ion beam techniques due to the ease with which these elements can diffuse under measurement conditions. This is especially true of measurements of semiconductors and insulators where significant charging and heat build-up can occur. Under such conditions the profile of lithium can be distorted to the extent that original conditions are obliterated and the analyses invalidated. Neutron Depth Profiling (NDP) avoids these problems by using only thermal neutrons and the charged particle emissions from a small number of nuclear reactions to characterize the material.