Depth profiling

{
  "id": "MLC-T-CHM-003039",
  "term": "Depth profiling",
  "field": "Chemistry",
  "definitions": [
    "An analytical technique used to determine the elemental or chemical composition of a material as a function of its depth from the surface. This involves progressively removing layers of the sample, often by sputtering, and analyzing the newly exposed surface at each step. The resulting data provides a compositional depth profile, revealing variations in material properties with depth.",
    "An analytical technique used to determine the elemental or molecular composition of a material as a function of its depth below the surface. This involves progressively removing layers of the sample, often by sputtering or ablation, and analyzing the exposed surface at each step. It is widely applied in surface science and materials characterization to study thin films and coatings."
  ],
  "subject": "Analytical Chemistry",
  "see_also": [
    "compositional depth profile",
    "ablation rate"
  ],
  "references": [
    "PAC, 2020, 92, 1781. 'Glossary of methods and terms used in surface chemical analysis (IUPAC Recommendations 2020)' on page 1802 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2019-0404)",
    "PAC, 2021, 93, 647. 'Glossary of methods and terms used in analytical spectroscopy (IUPAC Recommendations 2019)' on page 715 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2019-0203)"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/chemistry/depth-profiling/"
}