AVS 51st International Symposium
    Applied Surface Science Monday Sessions
       Session AS-MoM

Paper AS-MoM8
Improved Analysis of Bulk Insulators using Magnetic Sector SIMS with O@sub 2@@super +@ Primary Beam and Electron Beam Adjacent to Analysis Area

Monday, November 15, 2004, 10:40 am, Room 210A

Session: SIMS I - Cluster Probe Beams and General Topics
Presenter: F.A. Stevie, North Carolina State University
Authors: F.A. Stevie, North Carolina State University
C. Gu, North Carolina State University
A. Pivovarov, North Carolina State University
R. Garcia, North Carolina State University
D.P. Griffis, North Carolina State University
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The application of a new method(1) for magnetic sector SIMS analysis of thick film and bulk insulators using O@sub 2@@super +@ primary beam with electron beam adjacent to the area of interest has been extended. Excellent results have been obtained for a wide range of bulk insulators, including SiO@sub2@, LiNbO@sub 3@, Al@sub 2@O@sub3@, AlN, and a low-K dielectric. Quantification of impurities in bulk insulators has also been demonstrated as evidenced by depth profiles of B implanted in silica, Ti in LiNbO@sub 3@, and Be in Al@sub 2@O@sub 3@. The 1E15 atoms/cm@super 3@ detection limit obtained for the Be in Al@sub 2@O@sub 3@ cannot be achieved using quadrupole analyzers because of the inability to filter the Al@super 3+@ mass interference. Profiles several micrometers deep have been routinely achieved. Accurate concentrations for several elements have also been obtained on NIST standard glasses. The analysis of the low-k dielectric was significant because direct electron bombardment results in decomposition of this material. While the efficacy of this method is indisputable, the apparently self compensating mechanism is not understood. It is clear that a conductive coating encompassing the sputtered area is required and that the electron beam must impact within approximately 100@micron@m of the analyzed area. While it is not clear which if any of these charge compensation mechanisms predominate, the most probable mechanisms contributing to positive charge compensation include secondary and/or backscattered electrons and electron beam induced conductivity (EBIC). Efforts to understand the charge neutralization mechanism for this method continue. (1) A. L. Pivovarov, F. A. Stevie, D. P. Griffis, Appl. Surf. Sci. (2004) in press