Depth Profiling of Light Elements in Solid State Ionics Materials Using ERDA and TOF-ERDA

Hydrogen and lithium are crucial light elements in solid-state ionics devices. Li distributions near the interface in all-solid-state batteries are fundamental and key information for understanding the mechanism of the ion transport properties and ion storage behavior. Hydrogen can chemically control physical properties such as electrical resistance and optical properties in transition metal oxide films. However, quantitative knowledge of their distribution in a sample is limited due to the difficulties of their quantitative measurements. In this chapter, we demonstrate the utility of the elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA) method, a type of ion beam analysis utilizing a MeV-energy heavy ion beam, for the quantitative analysis of the amounts of hydrogen and lithium in thin films. Furthermore, we illustrate the use of time-of-flight ERDA measurements for obtaining exclusive depth profiles of 7Li separated from other elements with a highly improved depth resolution.