Simulation of RBS spectra for a surface with a periodic roughness

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section B, Beam interactions with materials and atoms Beam interactions with materials and atoms, 1996-08, Vol.117 (1), p.161-169
• Main Authors: Itoh, Y., Maeda, T., Nakajima, T., Kitamura, A., Ogiwara, N., Saidoh, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0168-583X; 1872-9584
• DOI: 10.1016/0168-583X(96)00224-8

For the purpose of quantifying surface roughness, the geometrical effect on heavy-ion RBS spectra is examined using optical grating bases coated with a thin film of Pb. It is shown that the RBS spectra from such surfaces with a periodic roughness can be well simulated by properly taking account of the system resolution including the detector response and published data of a stopping power of the substrate for the heavy ions. The spectral shape together with the fraction of the surface component reflects the microscopic structure of the sample surface strongly enough for the parameters characterizing the roughness to be determined from the measured spectra. Thus potential applicability of a “Pb coating-RBS” method to quantification of surface roughness is demonstrated.