Overview
ISO 18116:2005 - Surface chemical analysis - Guidelines for preparation and mounting of specimens for analysis - gives practical guidance for handling, mounting and surface treatment of specimens destined for surface‑sensitive chemical analysis. It is written for analysts using techniques such as Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), X‑ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and secondary‑ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), and is applicable to other surface‑sensitive methods where specimen handling can affect results. The standard emphasises preserving the original surface state and minimising contamination and damage prior to and during vacuum analysis.
Key topics and requirements
The standard addresses specimen handling and preparation topics that directly affect surface chemistry measurements:
- Visual inspection and documentation: record residues, particles, adhesives and marks before analysis; mark locations without contaminating the area.
- Specimen history and information needs: consider prior treatments and whether the target information is surface‑only or subsurface.
- Sources of contamination: tools, gloves, mounts, gases, vacuum exposure and prior electron/ion/X‑ray irradiation - avoid materials that transfer to the specimen.
- Storage and transfer: guidance on storage time, containers, temperature, humidity and safe transfer to analytical instruments.
- Mounting procedures: methods for powders, wires, pedestals and fragile samples to ensure mechanical stability and analytical access.
- Charging mitigation: use of conductive masks, coatings, grids or flood guns and beam management to reduce sample charging during AES/XPS/SIMS.
- Specimen preparation techniques: mechanical separation, thinning, substrate removal, sectioning, growth of overlayers, solvent cleaning, chemical and plasma etching, ion sputtering and heating - with emphasis on avoiding alteration of the surface of interest.
- Fracturing, cleaving and scribing: considerations for exposing uncontaminated internal surfaces.
- Special handling: prepumping gassy specimens, viscous liquids and residues.
Practical applications and users
ISO 18116:2005 is used by:
- Surface analysis scientists and technicians performing AES, XPS, SIMS and related measurements
- Materials scientists, failure analysts and quality control labs preparing samples for surface chemistry characterization
- Instrument manufacturers and lab managers developing standard operating procedures for vacuum analysis
Benefits include improved data reliability, reduced vacuum‑system contamination and consistent specimen‑handling practices that protect both sample integrity and instrument performance.
Related standards
- ISO 18115 (Surface chemical analysis - Vocabulary) is normative and complements ISO 18116 by defining key terms used in surface analysis.
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