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Towards a 3D Characterization of Solids by MCs + SIMS
Author(s) -
Gnaser Hubert
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9918(199608)24:8<483::aid-sia141>3.0.co;2-2
Subject(s) - sputtering , ion , characterization (materials science) , analytical chemistry (journal) , volume (thermodynamics) , range (aeronautics) , resolution (logic) , chemistry , secondary ion mass spectrometry , mass spectrometry , sensitivity (control systems) , materials science , atomic physics , nanotechnology , physics , thin film , computer science , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , electronic engineering , engineering , organic chemistry , chromatography , composite material
The three‐dimensional (3D) characterization of solids by means of secondary ion mass spectrometry monitoring MCs + ions is investigated. The MCs + molecular ions emitted from surfaces upon Cs + bombardment are found to be well suited for a quantitative data evaluation via relative sensitivity factors (RSFs). Laterally resolved ion images recorded with acquisition times of typically a few seconds can be thus transformed into elemental distribution maps; these exhibit a dynamic sensitivity range in excess of 10 2 and a lateral resolution of ∽2–3 μm. From the applied RSFs, local (i.e. erosion‐time dependent) sputtering yields can be derived; together with atomic densities (which might be interpolated from pure‐element values), a local depth scale (relative to some reference level) is assigned to each pixel of the 3D data volume recorded during the analysis. In conjunction with the elemental concentration values, this provides the possibility of a complete reconstruction of the 3D sample volume removed by sputtering. This approach is exemplified and its validity and limitations are assessed by means of a laterally inhomogeneous semiconductor test specimen.