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In situ measurements of surface homogeneity of optical parameters of weakly absorbing thin films
Author(s) -
Spousta J.,
Urbánek M.,
Chmelík R.,
Jiruše J.,
Zlámal J.,
Navrátil K.,
Nebojsa A.,
Šikola T.
Publication year - 2002
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/sia.1383
Subject(s) - homogeneity (statistics) , in situ , thin film , analytical chemistry (journal) , materials science , homogeneous , sputtering , surface finish , surface roughness , optics , quartz , wavelength , isotropic etching , etching (microfabrication) , chemistry , optoelectronics , nanotechnology , composite material , layer (electronics) , statistics , mathematics , physics , organic chemistry , chromatography , thermodynamics
Abstract In this paper an instrument based on combining the principles of both spectral and multiple‐wavelength reflectivity, designed by our group for in situ monitoring of the surface homogeneity of the thickness of weakly absorbing thin films, was tested in a series of ex situ and in situ experiments. The tests confirmed that it is a convenient tool for the in situ quasi‐real‐time monitoring of the surface homogeneity of the thicknesses of small‐area thin films (up to 1 cm 2 ) during their etching and growth. Using this method, homogeneous growth of an SiO 2 film with an average growth rate of 103 nm h −1 in one pilot point during deposition by ion beam sputtering of a quartz target was monitored in situ . On the other hand, the ion beam etching rate of the thermal SiO 2 film was <3.3 nm min −1 and an enhanced roughness of the etched film in comparison to the initial one was observed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.