Al and Ti secondary neutral and secondary ion emission from oxide samples in the high-frequency sputtering mode of HF-plasma SNMS

A strong Al⁺ and a minor Ti⁺ peak without a proportional increase of the O⁺ signal in SNMS high-frequency sputtering mode (HFM) time profiles of an insulating µm-thick oxide layer on Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb led us to check for a possible contribution of positive secondary ions (SI⁺). SI⁺ and SI^– (negative secondary ions) can be detected in ion energy spectra. This is shown using Al⁺, O^–, AlO^–, and AlO₂ ^– ions sputtered from massive Al₂O₃. Similarly, and depending on stoichiometry, also Ti⁺ from mixed sintered, microscopically inhomogeneous Al₂O₃-TiO₂-SiO₂ pellets has been identified to be partly SI⁺. The subtraction of an assumed contribution of ionized secondary neutrals (SN⁺) suggests that SI⁺ may form several 10% of the detected ions obtained in the HFM sputtering and plasma processes. However, the positive surface potential of some 10 V being necessary to cause detectable SI⁺ contributions does not build up on µm-thin insulating layers. Therefore, we have to conclude that the Al⁺ and Ti⁺ peaks in the sputter time profiles of the µm-thick oxide layer on Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb which are accompanied by an O⁺ deficiency cannot have been caused by SI⁺. Instead, their more probable origin is the inhomogeneous Al₂O₃ interlayer itself. Together with the residues of a topmost TiO₂ layer which has strongly been depleted in O by preferential sputtering, the relative O⁺ deficiency may be explained without assuming SI⁺ contributions.