Surface and Interface Analysis · 1994 · 163 citations · 22 references
Natural SciencesMaterials EngineeringMaterials ScienceMaterials CharacterizationSurface ScienceThin FilmsElectronic Material CharacterizationOxide SemiconductorsPhotoelectron SpectroscopySemiconductor Device MaterialsX-ray Photoelectron SpectroscopyAnodic Oxide FilmsFilm ThicknessFilm Thickness MeasurementOxide Thickness MeasurementPhotoelectron DiffractionSemiconductor CharacterizationSilicon Thin FilmsThin Oxide Films
Abstract The preferred XPS methodology for measurement of SiO 2 film thickness on polished silicon surfaces is discussed. A precise measurement of the photoelectron attenuation length was made using nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) to calibrate the film thicknesses. Anodic oxide films on Si, which are very reproducible in thickness, are used as test samples. Appropriate corrections for the problem of adventitious carbon are shown. Under some conditions, the phenomenon of photoelectron diffraction has a significant effect on the measurements, and improvements to the precision by rotating the sample about the normal during data acquisition are demonstrated.
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