IUVSTA 15th International Vacuum Congress (IVC-15), AVS 48th International Symposium (AVS-48), 11th International Conference on Solid Surfaces (ICSS-11)
    Applied Surface Analysis Wednesday Sessions
       Session AS-WeA

Paper AS-WeA7
Characterizing Nanometer Oxy-nitride Films with ESCA Low Energy Sputter Depth Profiles

Wednesday, October 31, 2001, 4:00 pm, Room 134

Session: Depth Profiling II
Presenter: E.L. Principe, Applied Materials
Authors: J.H. Gibson, Physical Electronics
E.L. Principe, Applied Materials
J.F. Moulder, Physical Electronics
D.G. Watson, Physical Electronics
A. Hegedus, Applied Materials
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Nanometer thick oxy-nitride films were used to evaluate low energy ESCA sputter depth profiling as a method to determine composition and elemental distribution within ultra thin films. Many previously published studies have focused on the use of angle resolved ESCA measurements to determine the composition of these films. The uncertainties of generating depth distribution information from angle resolved ESCA measurements are the topic of much debate and research. ESCA low energy sputter depth profiling provides a direct measurement of elemental distributions within ultra thin films and may be a valuable tool for thin film development and interpreting angle resolved ESCA measurements. Low energy sputter depth profiles and angle resolved ESCA measurements from 2 nm thick SiON films will be presented. The use and limitations of these complementary approaches for characterizing ultra thin films will be discussed.