Evaluation of different strategies for quantitative depth profile analysis of Cu/NiCu layers and multilayers via pulsed glow discharge – Time of flight mass spectrometry

Plasma profiling-time of flight mass spectrometry: considerations to exploit its analytical performance for materials characterization

“…"PP-TOFMS Plasma Profiling spectrometer" (Horiba Scientific, France) was used in this work. The GD ion source and the interface have been described elsewhere [13,14].…”

“…The "Plasma Profiling Spectrometer (PP-TOFMS)" from Horiba Scientific (France) is the first commercial instrument based on a radiofrequency (rf) PGD source coupled to a TOFMS. 13,14 Final instrumental design of PP-TOFMS is based on two previous prototypes, 15,16 being the commercial version characterized by a blanking interface stage located after the skimmer cone, horizontal sample loading and the possibility to detect negative ions. 17 The blanking interface has been implemented with the purpose of filtering most intense ions within the plasma (e.g.…”

In-depth component distribution in electrodeposited alloys and multilayers

“…For the GD-ToFMS study [21], the sample remained on the Si substrate and the deposit could be analyzed as it was obtained after the electrodeposition procedure. In this case, the sputtering direction was the conventional one; i.e., it started at the surface where the deposit formation finished.…”

“…[Ni-Cu/Cu] N multilayers were deposited with the so-called G/P method [16] from an acetate/citrate bath [21,47]. By using this protocol, the alloy layer was obtained with a galvanostatic pulse, whose amplitude was suitable for the regulation of the composition of the Ni-Cu layer.…”

“…The Cu deposition potential was chosen so that Ni could neither deposit nor dissolve. Further details of the sample preparation as well as the evaluation method of the GD-ToFMS spectra were published elsewhere [21]. Since the low-pressure chamber of the GD device and the ambient-pressure environment is separated by the sample itself during the measurement, the foil preparation for the reverse sputtering method could not be used here, and hence, the analysis was performed with the conventional sputtering direction for deposits still on their Si/Cr/Cu substrate (i.e., from the solution side toward the substrate).…”