Abstract: A secondary ion mass spectrometry apparatus for analyzing an element contained in the sample by radiating a primary ion beam extracted from an ion source to an analytical sample through a focusing system. The secondary ion mass spectrometry apparatus comprises an input unit for inputting data containing analytical elements names and areas, a storage unit for storing operational expressions to be operated on the input data from the input unit and a table to be reference on the input data and the results operated by the operational expressions and from which the necessary data is read, and a control unit for setting focusing conditions of said focusing system using the input data inputted from said input unit and the operational expressions and tables stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: A secondary ion mass spectrometer including primary ion emitting means for generating a primary ion to irradiate a specimen with the primary ion, means for separating secondary ions sputtered from the specimen, in accordance with mass-to-charge ratios, and detection means for detecting a secondary ion current emerging from the secondary ion separating means is disclosed, in which, when the value of the secondary ion current becomes greater than the upper limit of the dynamic range of the detecting means, the secondary ion current is attenuated by an attenuator, and the value of secondary ion current detected by the detection means is divided by the attenuation factor of the attenuator to obtain a corrected value. Thus, the secondary ion mass spectrometer is prevented from producing an erroneous analytical result due to the saturation of the detection means, that is, has a wide dynamic range, in which the amount of secondary ion varies by eight to ten orders of magnitude.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of holding an electrically insulating sample to be bombarded with a corpuscular beam. It is desired that the electrically insulating sample is not charged up when it is placed under the bombardment of the corpuscular beam. To achieve this problem to be solved, an electrically conductive metallic material is placed in a liquefied form on a support member, and the electrically insulating sample is buried in the metallic material except at least the portion that is to be bombarded with the corpuscular beam.

Abstract: A mixture of an alkali metal compound and its reducing agent is heated by a heating means, whereby alkali metal vapors are generated and stored in a vapor reserver. The thus stored vapors permeate through a porous member heated by another heating means and are ionized. The thus formed ions are withdrawn by an ion withdrawal means.

Abstract: In ion micro-analysis, intensity of at least one species of secondary ions is monitored, and a reference etching time required for etching an implanted depth of primary ions is determined from a profile of a secondary ion intensity signal. Analysis time is graduated on the basis of the reference etching time to represent an analysis signal with the scale of the depth. The primary ions are non-volatile and may be active ions which react with a specimen or metal ions. The analyzed depth can be found during the analysis to prevent unwanted analysis and assure rapid data processing.