Secondary ion mass spectrometry in the study of lanthanide compounds

Interest in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) in the study of lanthanide compounds is rapidly growing and some results are reported here. Polynuclear complexes and mixed oxides containing 4-f ions were analyzed; in particular, the high accuracy and speed of measurements are evidenced in metal ratio determinations. The advantages of SIMS are compared with other analytical techniques and obtainable complementary results are described. Specific and sensitive responses show that rare earth elements can be detected at very low levels (ppm) and mixed oxides can be identified; in the latter case fragmentation patterns seem to be correlated with sample structures.