Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is a powerful tool to probe the chemical and structural information of the top a few monolayers of a surface. The surface of a biomaterial that is in contact with a biological environment plays a critical role in interacting with its surroundings. Much research has been focusing on modifying the surface chemistry of a biomaterial to exert desirable cellular response such as adhesion, proliferation, migration and differentiation. Surface characterisation is essential to assess the properties of the modified surfaces. The properties of a surface also influence the protein adsorbed onto it. The adsorbed proteins play a vital role in mediating cellular response. Secondary ion mass spectrometry can be used to probe the identity, orientation, conformation and spatial distribution of this adsorbed layer. With the introduction of large cluster ions such as
and
, the yield of high mass molecular ions has been greatly enhanced. In addition, large cluster ion beams cause minimum damage to subsurface, which makes molecular depth profiling possible. The ability of eroding materials away without causing chemical damage to the subsurface has realised the three-dimensional molecular imaging of multilayered polymer structures, drug loaded polymers and cells. The subject of this review is the applications of SIMS to biomaterials, surface adsorbed proteins and biological materials.
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and 
, the yield of high mass molecular ions has been greatly enhanced. In addition, large cluster ion beams cause minimum damage to subsurface, which makes molecular depth profiling possible. The ability of eroding materials away without causing chemical damage to the subsurface has realised the three-dimensional molecular imaging of multilayered polymer structures, drug loaded polymers and cells. The subject of this review is the applications of SIMS to biomaterials, surface adsorbed proteins and biological materials.