Abstract: In a secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) method for analysis of a sample, in a first process step, the kinetic energy of the emitted primary ions emitted by a primary ion source (2) is set to a relatively low value, so that the surface of the sample (1) is enriched with primary ions, and erosion of the surface of the sample (1) essentially does not take place, and in a second process step, the kinetic energy of the primary ions emitted by one and the same primary ion source (2) is set to a relatively high value, so that the surface of the sample (1) can be eroded by the primary ion beam, where the formation of secondary ions in the second process step is promoted by the primary ions implanted during the first process step. Over and above this, targeted, locally differentiated enrichment of the sample surface ("chemical gating") can be carried out.