Sputter-induced cross-contamination in analytical AES and XPS instrumentation: utilization of the effect for the in situ deposition of ultrathin functional layers

Cross-contamination is observed on sample surfaces by Auger electron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy if multiple samples are mounted on one sample holder and a neighbouring sample was sputter depth profiling. During sputter depth profiling, sputtered material is deposited on inner surfaces of the instrument. In a secondary sputter process, which is due to species leaving the primary sputter target with higher kinetic energy, the previously deposited material is transported from the inner surfaces to the other samples mounted on the sample holder. This reflective sputtering is utilized to deposit ultrathin layers on sample surfaces for X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy binding energy referencing purposes and to build up ultrathin conductive layers to make possible Auger electron spectroscopy measurements on insulating samples.     

A new approach to express ToF SIMS depth profiling

We propose a new approach to express SIMS depth profiling on a TOF.SIMS‐5 time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer. The approach is based on the instrument capability to independently perform raster scans of sputter and probe ion beams. The probed area can be much smaller than the diameter of a sputter ion beam, like in the AES depth profiling method. This circumstance alleviates limitations on the sputter beam–raster size relation, which are critical in other types of SIMS, and enables analysis on a curved‐bottomed sputter crater. By considerably reducing the raster size, it is possible to increase the depth profiling speed by an order of magnitude without radically degrading the depth resolution. A technique is proposed for successive improvement of depth resolution through profile recovery with account for the developing curvature of the sputtered crater bottom in the probed area. Experimental study of the crater bottom form resulted in implementing a method to include contribution of the instrumental artifacts in a nonstationary depth resolution function within the Hofmann's mixing–roughness–information depth model. The real‐structure experiment has shown that the analysis technique combining reduction of a raster size with a successive nonstationary recovery ensures high speed of profiling at ~100 µm/h while maintaining the depth resolution of about 30 nm at a 5 µm depth. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Status monitoring of ion sputter relevant parameters of an XPS depth profiling instrument

An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) instrument is utilized for sputter depth profiling of thin films. Relevant instrumental parameters are the ion gun sputter rate, the contamination level of the sputter ion gun, and the purity of the sputter ion gun gas supply as well as the vacuum quality of the instrument at the sample position. A long-term recording of these instrumental parameters ensures the reliability of the measured depth profile data. The ion gun sputter rate was estimated using the standard ISO conform depth profiling of a SiO₂ reference layer of known thickness. Two new procedures are developed to determine the other relevant parameters. Gases that are emitted by the ion sputter gun get implanted into a Si target. An analysis of the implanted gases allows judging on the contamination level of the sputter gun and the purity of the sputter gun gas supply. The vacuum condition of an XPS microprobe at the sample position is monitored by the recontamination of a sputtered Ti surface by adsorbed residual gas particles.     

Incident angle and energy dependences of low‐energy Ar+ ion sputtering of GaAs/AlAs multilayered system

Dependences of the depth resolution in Auger electron spectroscopy sputter‐depth profiling of a GaAs/AlAs superlattice reference material on the incident angle and energy of primary Ar⁺ ions were investigated. The results revealed that the depth resolution is improved for the lower primary energy as a square root of the primary energy of ions at both the incident angles of 50° and 70° , except for 100 eV at 50° , where the significant deterioration of the depth resolution is induced by the preferential sputtering of As in AlAs, and the difference in the etching rate between GaAs and AlAs. The deterioration of the depth resolution, i.e. the difference in the etching rate and the preferential sputtering, observed for 100 eV at 50° was suppressed by changing the incident angle of ions from 50° to 70° , resulting in the high‐depth resolution of ～1.3 nm. The present results revealed that the glancing incidence of primary ions is effective to not only reducing the atomic mixing but also suppressing the difference in the etching rates between GaAs and AlAs and the preferential sputtering in the GaAs/AlAs multilayered system. The results also suggest that careful attention is required for the optimization of conditions of sputter‐depth profiling using GaAs/AlAs superlattice materials under low‐energy ion irradiation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of an accurate depth distribution of sodium, calcium and aluminium in thin oxide layers using several methods

Summary Experience in obtaining accurate sodium, calcium and aluminium profiles in silicon dioxide using SIMS and Auger depth profiling is reported. With the knowledge of implantation energy and ion dose, it is possible to calculate and to realize well defined implantation profiles in special substrates with high accuracy. The technological demand is to measure this so called accurate profiles in implanted structures without alteration by the measurement. SIMS and Auger profiling have been tested in special applications to study the influence of ion sputtering on the depth distribution in membranes and to obtain accurate profiles. Experimental results are presented for the application of Auger profiling at sample edges and SIMS profiling using negative ions. In the case of Auger profiling a transformation routine was developed for using linescan and sputter profile results in combination.     

New horizons in sputter depth profiling inorganics with giant gas cluster sources: Niobium oxide thin films

X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used to study a wide variety of material systems as a function of depth (“depth profiling”). Historically, Ar⁺ has been the primary ion of choice, but even at low kinetic energies, Ar⁺ ion beams can damage materials by creating, for example, nonstoichiometric oxides. Here, we show that the depth profiles of inorganic oxides can be greatly improved using Ar giant gas cluster beams. For NbO_x thin films, we demonstrate that using Ar_x⁺ (x = 1000‐2500) gas cluster beams with kinetic energies per projectile atom from 5 to 20 eV, there is significantly less preferential oxygen sputtering than 500 eV Ar⁺ sputtering leading to improvements in the measured steady state O/Nb ratio. However, there is significant sputter‐induced sample roughness. Depending on the experimental conditions, the surface roughness is up to 20× that of the initial NbO_x surface. In general, higher kinetic energies per rojectile atom (E/n) lead to higher sputter yields (Y/n) and less sputter‐induced roughness and consequently better quality depth profiles. We demonstrate that the best‐quality depth profiles are obtained by increasing the sample temperature; the chemical damage and the crater rms roughness is reduced. The best experimental conditions for depth profiling were found to be using a 20 keV Ar₂₅₀₀⁺ primary ion beam at a sample temperature of 44°C. At this temperature, there is no, or very little, reduction of the niobium oxide layer and the crater rms roughness is close to that of the original surface.     

Preferential sputtering observed in Auger electron spectroscopy sputter depth profiling of AlAs/GaAs superlattice using low‐energy ions

Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) sputter depth profiling of an ISO reference material of the GaAs/AlAs superlattice was investigated using low‐energy Ar⁺ ions. Although a high depth resolution of ～1.0 nm was obtained at the GaAs/AlAs interface under 100 eV Ar⁺ ion irradiation, deterioration of the depth resolution was observed at the AlAs/GaAs interface. The Auger peak profile revealed that the enrichment of Al due to preferential sputtering occurred during sputter etching of the AlAs layer only under 100 eV Ar⁺ ion irradiation. In addition, a significant difference in the etching rates between the AlAs and GaAs layers was observed for low‐energy ion irradiation. Deterioration of the depth resolution under 100 eV Ar⁺ ion irradiation is attributed to the preferential sputtering and the difference in the etching rate. The present results suggest that the effects induced by the preferential sputtering and the significant difference in the etching rate should be taken into account to optimize ion etching conditions using the GaAs/AlAs reference material under low‐energy ion irradiation. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development of B‐doped Si multiple delta‐layer reference materials for SIMS profiling

B‐doped Si multiple delta‐layers (MDL) were developed as certified reference materials (CRM) for secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) depth profiling analysis. Two CRMs with different delta‐layer spacing were grown by ion beam sputter deposition (IBSD). The nominal spacing of the MDL for shallow junction analysis is 10 nm and that for high energy SIMS is 50 nm. The total thickness of the film was certified by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM). The B‐doped Si MDLs can be used to evaluate SIMS depth resolution and to calibrate the depth scale. A consistency check of the calibration of stylus profilometers for measurement of sputter depth is another possible application. The crater depths measured by a stylus profilometer showed a good linear relationship with the thickness measured from SIMS profiling using the calibrated film thickness for depth scale calibration. The sputtering rate of the amorphous Si thin film grown by sputter deposition was found to be the same as that of the crystalline Si substrate, which means that the sputtering rate measured with these CRMs can be applied to a real analysis of crystalline Si. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Removal of Ar+ beam‐induced damaged layers from polyimide surfaces with argon gas cluster ion beams

An Ar Gas Cluster Ion Beam (GCIB) has been shown to remove previous Ar⁺ ion beam‐induced surface damage to a bulk polyimide (PI) film. After removal of the damaged layer with a GCIB sputter source, XPS measurements show minor changes to the carbon, nitrogen and oxygen atomic concentrations relative to the original elemental bulk concentrations. The GCIB sputter depth profiles showed that there is a linear relationship between the Ar⁺ ion beam voltage within the range from 0.5 to 4.0 keV and the dose of argon cluster ions required to remove the damaged layer. The rate of recovery of the original PI atomic composition as a function of GCIB sputtering is similar for carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, indicating that there was no preferential sputtering for these elements. The XPS chemical state analysis of the N 1s spectra after GCIB sputtering revealed a 17% damage ratio of altered nitrogen chemical state species. Further optimization of the GCIB sputtering conditions should lead to lower nitrogen damage ratios with the elemental concentrations closer to those of bulk PI. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Observations on X‐ray enhanced sputter rates in argon cluster ion sputter depth profiling of polymers

Traditionally polymer depth profiling by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been dominated by the damage introduced by the ion beam rather than the X‐rays. With the introduction of polyatomic and especially argon gas cluster ion‐beam (GCIB) sources for XPS instruments, this is no longer the case, and either source of damage may be important (or dominate) under particular conditions. Importantly, while ion‐beam damage is a near‐surface effect, X‐ray damage may extend micrometres into the bulk of the sample, so that the accumulation of X‐ray damage during long depth profiles may be very significant. We have observed craters of similar dimensions to the X‐ray spot well within the perimeter of sputter craters, indicating that X‐rays can assist GCIB sputtering very significantly. We have measured experimentally sputter craters in 13 different polymers. The results show that X‐ray exposure can introduce much more topography than might previously have been expected, through both thermal and direct X‐ray degradation. This can increase the depth of a crater by a remarkable factor, up to three in the case of poly‐L‐lactic acid and polychlorotrifluorothylene under reasonably normal XPS conditions. This may be a major source of the loss of depth resolution in sputter depth profiles of polymers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Depth profiling organic/inorganic interfaces by argon gas cluster ion beams: sputter yield data for biomaterials,in‐vitro diagnostic and implant applications

Argon gas cluster ion beam sources are likely to become much more widely available on XPS and SIMS instruments in the next few years. Much attention has been devoted to their ability to depth profile organic materials with minimum damage. What has not been the focus of attention (possibly because it has been very difficult to measure) is the large ratio of sputter yield for organic materials compared with inorganic materials using these sources and the special opportunities this presents for studies of organic/inorganic interfaces. Traditional depth profiling by monatomic argon ions introduces significant damage into the organic overlayer, and because sputter rates in both organic and inorganic are similar for monatomic ions the interface is often ‘blurred’ due to knock‐on and other damage mechanisms. We have used a quartz crystal technique to measure the total sputter yield for argon cluster ions in a number of materials important in medical implants, biomaterials and diagnostic devices, including polymethyl methacrylate, collagen, hydroxyapatite, borosilicate glass, soda lime glass, silicon dioxide and the native oxides on titanium and stainless steel. These data fit a simple semi‐empirical equation very well, so that the total sputter yield can now be estimated for any of them for the entire range of cluster ion energy typical in XPS or SIMS. On the basis of our total sputter yield measurements, we discuss three useful ‘figures‐of‐merit’ for choosing the optimum cluster ion energy to use in depth profiling organic/inorganic samples. For highest selectivity in removing the organic but not the inorganic material the energy‐per‐atom in the cluster should be below 6 eV. A practical balance between selectivity and reasonably rapid depth profiling is achieved by choosing a cluster ion energy having between around 3 and 9 eV energy‐per‐atom. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

In situ ion beam sputter deposition and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of multiple thin layers under computer control for combinatorial materials synthesis

Deposition of ultra‐thin layers under computer control is a frequent requirement in studies of novel sensors, materials screening, heterogeneous catalysis, the probing of band offsets near semiconductor junctions and many other applications. Often large‐area samples are produced by magnetron sputtering from multiple targets or by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Samples can then be transferred to an analytical chamber for checking by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) or other surface‐sensitive spectroscopies. The ‘wafer‐scale’ nature of these tools is often greater than is required in combinatorial studies, where a few square centimetres or even millimetres of sample is sufficient for each composition to be tested. The large size leads to increased capital cost, problems of registration as samples are transferred between deposition and analysis, and often makes the use of precious metals as sputter targets prohibitively expensive. Instead we have modified a commercial sample block designed to perform angle‐resolved XPS in a commercial XPS instrument. This now allows ion‐beam sputter deposition from up to six different targets under complete computer control. Ion beam deposition is an attractive technology for depositing ultra‐thin layers of great purity under ultra‐high vacuum conditions, but is generally a very expensive technology. Our new sample block allows ion beam sputtering using the ion gun normally used for sputter depth‐profiling of samples, greatly reducing the cost and allowing deposition to be done (and checked by XPS) in situ in a single instrument. Precious metals are deposited cheaply and efficiently by ion‐beam sputtering from thin metal foils. Samples can then be removed, studied and exposed to reactants or surface treatments before being returned to the XPS to examine and quantify the effects. Copyright © 2016 The Authors Surface and Interface Analysis Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Depth resolution in sputter profiling revisited

Based on a brief review of the well‐established framework of definitions, measurement and evaluation principles of the depth resolution in sputter profiling for interfaces, delta layers, single layers and multilayers, an extension to additional definitions is presented, which include the full‐width‐at‐half‐maximum of layer profiles and non‐Gaussian depth resolution functions as defined by the Mixing‐Roughness‐Information depth (MRI) model. Improved evaluation methods for adequate analysis of sputter depth profiles as well as improved definitions of depth resolution are introduced in order to meet new developments in ToF‐SIMS and GDOES, and in cluster ion sputtering of so‐called delta layers in organic matrices. In conclusion, the full‐width‐at‐half‐maximum definition and measurement of depth resolution, Δz(FWHM), is found to be more appropriate than the traditional Δz(16–84%) in order to characterize depth profiles of single layers and multilayers, because it is also valid for non‐Gaussian depth resolution functions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improved sputter depth resolution in Auger composition‐depth profiling of polycrystalline thin film systems using single grain depth profiling

Today in‐depth profiling of microelectronics thin film systems is one of the important applications of Auger electron spectroscopy. It is used to monitor the elemental in‐depth composition after different manufacturing processes to control the quality of these processes. For instance, the layer interdiffusion and reactions with various process gases are analyzed. In addition, interface contaminations have to be controlled, because they strongly influence the properties of the whole thin film system. For polycrystalline layers, the depth resolution of sputter depth profiling is limited by the sputter yield differences attributed to grains having different crystalline orientations relative to the incoming ion beam. If depth profiling can be performed on single grains only, the poor depth resolution caused by these sputter yield differences can be avoided. Unfortunately, the approach works only on a few samples because single grains must be identified and have to have grain sizes that are in the dimensions of the layer thickness. Using methods of in situ sample preparation, however, allows application of single grain depth profiling to an extended range of thin film systems. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiling of ultrathick films using an argon gas cluster source: Crater shape implications on the analysis area as a function of depth

Argon cluster ions have enabled molecular depth profiling to unprecedented depths, with minimal loss of chemical information or changes in sputter rate. However, depth profiling of ultrathick films (>100 μm) using a commercial ion source oriented at 45° to the surface causes the crater bottom to shrink in size because of a combination of the crater wall angle, sputter rate differences along the trailing-edge crater wall, and undercutting on the leading-edge. The shrinking of the crater bottom has 2 immediate effects on dual-beam depth profiling: first is that the centering of the analysis beam inside the sputter crater will no longer ensure the best quality depth profile because the location of the flat crater bottom progressively shifts toward the leading-edge and second, the shifting of the crater bottom enforces a maximum thickness of the film that could be depth profiled. Experiments demonstrate that a time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry instrument equipped with a 20 keV argon cluster source is limited to depth profiling a 180 μm-thick film when a 500 μm sputter raster is used and a 100 μm square crater bottom is to be left for analysis. In addition, depth profiling of a multilayer film revealed that the depth resolution degrades on trailing-edge side of the crater bottom presumably because of the redeposition of the sputtered flux from the crater wall onto the crater bottom.     

Ion beam sputtering techniques for high-resolution concentration depth profiling with glancing-incidence X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

The application of ion beam sputtering in combination with glancing-incidence X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for high-resolution concentration depth profiling is presented. Two new techniques are described: first, in the “bevel-etching technique”, the sample depth profile is uncovered on the sample surface either by sputter etching with a gradient of the ion beam intensity or by varying the sputtering time by moving a shutter in front of the sample; second, in the “deposition technique”, samples are etched uniformly and the sputtered material is deposited on a moving substrate. The bevelled sample and also the material deposited on the substrate are characterized (laterally resolved) by glancing incidence X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The apparatus and techniques are described in detail. Typical experiments showing the advantages of and problems with the two techniques are discussed. The achievable depth resolutions, 1.5 nm with the bevel-etching technique and 1.4 nm with the deposition technique, are comparable with the best results from other depth profiling methods.     

Topography and field effects in the inner side of microvia hole using ToF‐SIMS

We have developed a simple and powerful method, which is called ‘angled sample holder method’, to characterize a topographic structured sample such as microsized via hole of ball grid array using time‐of‐flight SIMS. The diameter of via holes was 100 µm and the depth was 70 µm. To remove the shaded area by incidence primary ion beam and to extract secondary ions from the bottom of a via hole, several types of angled sample holders with compensation steering plate were applied on the basis of simulation results using SIMION code. And the analyses using angled sample holder method enabled us to characterize the bottom and side wall of a via hole in clear. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SIMS depth profiling of ‘frozen’ samples: in search of ultimate depth resolution regime

We have performed secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiling analysis of III–V based hetero‐structures at different target temperatures and found that both the surface segregation and surface roughness caused by ion sputtering can be radically reduced if the sample temperature is lowered to ?150 °C. The depth profiling of ‘frozen’ samples can be a good alternative to sample rotation and oxygen flooding used for ultra‐low‐energy depth profiling of compound semiconductors. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.