Rutherford forward scattering and elastic recoil detection (RFSERD) as a method for characterizing ultra-thin films

We present a novel ion beam analysis technique combining Rutherford forward scattering and elastic recoil detection (RFSERD) and demonstrate its ability to increase efficiency in determining stoichiometry in ultrathin (5-50 nm) films as compared to Rutherford backscattering. In the conventional forward geometries, scattering from the substrate overwhelms the signal from light atoms but in RFSERD, scattered ions from the substrate are ranged out while forward scattered ions and recoiled atoms from the thin film are simultaneously detected in a single detector. The technique is applied to tantalum oxide memristors but can be extended to a wide range of materials systems.