Analysis of Auger sputter depth profiles with a resolution function

Kitada, Tadayoshi; Harada, Tomoko; Tanuma, Shigeo

doi:10.1016/0169-4332(96)00359-5

Cited by 14 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…In any case, measured DRFs on well defined samples with sharp interfaces describe the real situation. As shown here and also by Kitada et al [55], the MRI model is capable to reproduce measured DRFs sufficiently well for accurate profile reconstruction (e.g. Fig.…”

Section: Experimental Determination Of the Depth Resolution Functionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Ultimate depth resolution and profile reconstruction in sputter profiling with AES and SIMS

Hofmann

2000

Surf. Interface Anal.

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New developments in quantitative sputter depth profiling during the past 10 years are reviewed, with special emphasis on the experimental achievement of ultrahigh depth resolution (<2 nm for sputtered depths of >10 nm). In this region, the depth resolution function generally is asymmetric (i.e. non-Gaussian) and it is governed by three fundamental parameters: atomic mixing length, roughness and information depth. The so-called mixing-roughness-information depth (MRI) model and its application to quantitative reconstruction of the in-depth distribution of composition, with a typical accuracy of one monolayer and better, is demonstrated for SIMS and AES depth profiles. Based on the combination of the above three parameters, the ultimate depth resolution is predicted to be~0.7-1.0 nm. Up to now, values of 1.4-1.6 nm have been reported and the use of low-energy molecular ions, e.g. by using sulphur hexafluoride as sputtering gas, has recently pushed the mixing length down to 0.4-0.6 nm. However, particularly for the depth profiling of multilayers, it can be shown that minimizing the roughness parameter, including straggling of the mixing length, is most important to achieve the ultimate depth resolution.

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Section: Experimental Determination Of the Depth Resolution Functionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Ultimate depth resolution and profile reconstruction in sputter profiling with AES and SIMS

Hofmann

2000

Surf. Interface Anal.

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“…Over several years, a number of successful applications were carried out [18,19,25,26] and subsequent refinements and extensions were introduced (see e.g. [1,9,21,[27][28][29]).…”

Section: The Analytical Depth Resolution Function Of the Mri Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, for a small layer thickness, e.g. a monolayer, the MRI model can be successfully applied too, as shown in several examples for SIMS [7,17,24,[30][31][32][33] and AES depth profiles [19,25,26,30,34]. In general, quantitative results of the MRI model are obtained by numerical solution of the convolution integral (Eq.…”

Section: The Analytical Depth Resolution Function Of the Mri Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analytical and numerical depth resolution functions in sputter profiling

Hofmann

Liu

Wang

et al. 2014

Applied Surface Science

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“…In particular, application of the so-called MRI model, which was developed during the past decade, yields excellent precision and accuracy in determining the original in-depth distribution of composition by profile reconstruction. It has found many applications in the quantitative determination of the structure of layers in the nanometre regime (Kitada et al . 1996;Hofmann & Kesler 2002), local diffusion coefficients at interfaces (Kesler & Hofmann 2002a, b) and to the separation of the influence of different parameters on depth resolution (Ng et al .…”

Section: (Iv) High-resolution 'Chemical Depth Profiling' In Aesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sputter-depth profiling for thin-film analysis

Hofmann¹

2003

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Seri

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Following a brief historical background, the concepts and the present state of sputter-depth profiling for thin-film analysis are outlined. There are two main branches: either the removed matter (as in mass- or optical-spectroscopy-based secondary-ion mass spectrometry or glow-discharge optical emission spectroscopy), or the remaining surface (as in Auger electron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) is characterized. These complementary methods show the same result if there is no preferential sputtering of a component. The common root of both is the fundamental ion-solid interaction. Understanding of how the latter influences the depth resolution has led to important improvements in experimental profiling conditions such as sample rotation and the use of low-energy ions at glancing incidence. Modern surface-analysis instruments can provide high-resolution depth profiles on the nanometre scale. Mathematical models of different sophistication were developed to allow deconvolution of the measured profile or quantification by reconstruction of the in-depth distribution of composition. For the latter purpose, the usefulness of the so-called mixing-roughness-information (MRI) depth model is outlined on several thin-film structures (e.g. AlAs/GaAs and Si/Ge), including its extension to quantification of sputter-depth profiles in layer structures with preferential sputtering of one component (Ta/Si). Using the MRI model, diffusion coefficients at interfaces as low as 10(-22) m(2) s(-1) can be determined. Fundamental limitations of sputter-depth profiling are mainly traced back to the stochastic nature of primary-particle energy transfer to the sputtered particle, promoting atomic mixing and the development of surface roughness. Owing to more sophisticated experimental methods, such as low-energy cluster ion bombardment, glancing ion incidence or 'backside' sputtering, these ultimate limitations can be reduced to the atomic monolayer scale.

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Analysis of Auger sputter depth profiles with a resolution function

Cited by 14 publications

References 0 publications

Ultimate depth resolution and profile reconstruction in sputter profiling with AES and SIMS

Ultimate depth resolution and profile reconstruction in sputter profiling with AES and SIMS

Analytical and numerical depth resolution functions in sputter profiling

Sputter-depth profiling for thin-film analysis

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