Ion beam analysis is a group of techniques which can be used to detect trace elements at the few parts per million (ppm) level in most materials.  The fact that ion beam analysis is a non destructive technique means that it is particularly suited to forensic studies.  In most cases, no sample preparation is required, and areas of large or very small samples can be studied, either in vacuum or in air.  Ion beam analysis can be used to obtain elemental maps with a spatial resolution of ~30nm of samples in vacuum, and elemental depth profiles with a resolution of ~20nm (with a sensitivity around 2at%) can be obtained.

The University of Surrey Ion Beam Centre is the EPSRC National Facility for Ion Beam Applications.  We work with customers and collaborators from many sectors of industry and academia, and are world leaders in providing accurate ion beam analysis.  In this work, we will present a number of recent examples of our work, including trace element analysis of hair samples to detect poisoning and an investigation into the composition of inks on a bank note.