Book excerpt: Serves as a practical reference for those involved in Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) • Introduces SIMS along with the highly diverse fields (Chemistry, Physics, Geology and Biology) to it is applied using up to date illustrations • Introduces the accepted fundamentals and pertinent models associated with elemental and molecular sputtering and ion emission • Covers the theory and modes of operation of the instrumentation used in the various forms of SIMS (Static vs Dynamic vs Cluster ion SIMS) • Details how data collection/processing can be carried out, with an emphasis placed on how to recognize and avoid commonly occurring analysis induced distortions • Presented as concisely as believed possible with All sections prepared such that they can be read independently of each other