A system making use of matrix isolation techniques in the elucidation of the sputtering process has been developed and is described. A stable beam of positive ions produced with a commercially available sputter ion gun impinges on a target. The matrix‐isolated back‐sputtered products are collected on a cryogenically cooled optical plate for spectroscopic observation. The system can be used to identify atomic and molecular sputtered products and to measure sputtering yields. For demonstration purposes, the spectra of sputtered gold atoms in a deuterium matrix and sputtered molybdenum atoms in an argon matrix are shown.