Preferential sputtering in quantitative sputter depth profiling of multi-element thin films

• Published in: Thin solid films 2021-03, Vol.721, p.138545, Article 138545
• Main Authors: Lian, Songyou, Yang, H., Terblans, Jacobus J., Swart, Hendrik C., Wang, Jiangyong, Xu, Congkang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Mass conservation; Mixing-roughness-information depth model; Multi-element thin films; Preferential sputtering; Quantitative depth profiling
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2021.138545

•A model is developed for the quantitative depth profiling of a multi-element system.•The layered thickness could be determined by applying the mass conservation law upon preferential sputtering.•The developed model is successfully applied to fit the depth profiling data of the Mo/ B4C/Si multilayer structure. Preferential sputtering plays an important role in the quantification of measured depth profiles. The distortion of the measured depth profile as compared to the original one has to be evaluated upon preferential sputtering in depth profiling. In the framework of the mixing-roughness-information depth (MRI) model, the influences of preferential sputtering on the depth profile of multi-element thin films are quantitatively evaluated as demonstrated for a layered structure of three elements with different sputtering rates and subsequent interfaces as A/BC/A. Moreover, the mass conservation upon Auger electron spectroscopy/X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling of multi-element structure is discussed with respect to the preferential effect. Finally, as an example, the measured glow discharge optical emission spectroscope depth profiling data of 60x(3.0 nm Mo/0.3 nm B4C/3.7 nm Si)/Si(111) multilayer structure are quantitatively evaluated using the extended MRI model.