Optimization of oblique incidence ultra low energy O-2(+) SIMS analysis of ultra shallow boron distributions has been investigated varying the atmosphere in the analysis chamber (ultra high vacuum or oxygen flooding) and evaluating the effect of a rotating stage allowing a 20 rpm rotation during the analysis. The impact of the different analytical approaches to the ripple formation on the crater bottom has been investigated on a boron delta doped silicon sample by AFM analysis. The combined use of a 0.5 keV O-2(+) beam at 68 degrees of incidence with oxygen flooding and stage rotation of 20 rpm gave a decay length of 2.0 nm/decade at 60 nm depth without any appreciable detection of variation of sputtering rate. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.