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High‐resolution Auger depth profiling by sub‐keV ion sputtering
Author(s) -
Inoue Masahiko,
Shimizu Ryuichi,
Lee Hyung Ik,
Kang Hee Jae
Publication year - 2005
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.1956
Subject(s) - sputtering , auger , ion , monte carlo method , auger electron spectroscopy , atomic physics , resolution (logic) , auger effect , materials science , spectroscopy , chemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , physics , thin film , nuclear physics , nanotechnology , statistics , mathematics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , chromatography , artificial intelligence , computer science
Abstract Auger electron spectroscopy depth profiling of a GaAs/AlAs superlattice sample was performed with Ar + ions of 100–500 eV using a compact floating‐type low‐energy ion gun. The practical etching rate of >1.5 nm min −1 was ensured in the energy region beyond 150 eV. High depth resolutions of 1.3, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 nm (84 − 16%) were obtained with Ar + ions of 100, 150, 200 and 300 eV at the leading edge of Al LVV depth profiles, respectively. At the sputtering energy of 100 eV, remarkable improvement of the depth resolution at the leading edge (Δ z l = 1.3 nm) has been observed but this is followed by considerable deterioration at the trailing edge (Δ z t = 2.7 nm). Dynamic Monte‐Carlo simulation for sputtering energies of 150–300 eV was performed for comparison. Although the Monte‐Carlo simulation overestimates the depth resolutions by ∼0.6 nm larger than the relevant experimental values, it describes the energy dependence of the depth resolution with considerable success. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.