Summary of ISO/TC 201 Standard: ISO 14701:2011 – Surface chemical analysis – X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy—measurement of silicon oxide thickness

This International Standard specifies several methods for measuring the oxide thickness at the surfaces of (100) and (111) silicon wafers as an equivalent thickness of silicon dioxide when measured using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It is only applicable to flat, polished samples and for instruments that incorporate an Al or Mg X‐ray source, a sample stage that permits defined photoelectron emission angles and a spectrometer with an input lens that may be restricted to less than a 6° cone semiangle. For thermal oxides in the range 1‐ to 8‐nm thickness, using the best method described in this International Standard, uncertainties at a 95% confidence level around 2% may be typical and around 1% at optimum. A simpler method is also given with slightly poorer, but often adequate, uncertainties. Copyright © 2012 Crown copyright.