Any technique using high energy particles directed toward a sample, in which the bombarding
particles are detected and recorded as function of energy and/or
angle. The technique is mostly used for determining depth distributions of elements based
on the energy of the backscattered particle. In general,
He+
or
H+
particles are used at energies in the order of

to some

. Also referred to as backscattering
spectrometry
(
BSS).
Source:
PAC, 1979, 51, 2243
(General aspects of trace analytical methods - IV. Recommendations for nomenclature,
standard procedures and reporting of experimental data for surface analysis techniques)
on page 2246