AVS 52nd International Symposium
    Applied Surface Science Monday Sessions
       Session AS-MoP

Paper AS-MoP16
Information Needed for Improving Sputter Depth Profiling

Monday, October 31, 2005, 5:00 pm, Room Exhibit Hall C&D

Session: Aspects of Applied Surface Science Poster Session
Presenter: M.H. Engelhard, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Authors: M.H. Engelhard, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
D.R. Baer, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
D.J. Gaspar, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
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In a recent survey of needs for improving surface analysis conducted by ASTM Committee E42 on Surface Analysis, nine of the top twenty-five areas of need involved obtaining depth information. Analysts were interested in reference data, reference materials, and guides or protocols for obtaining useful information. Specific requests related to a data base containing relative sputter rates for compound materials and protocols for obtaining depth information for layered samples. Although not highlighted in the survey, accurate comparison of sputtered depths requires knowledge of the sputter rate reproducibility for a specific system before information about the relative sputter rates for different materials is meaningful. In this presentation we will present data on the reproducibility of sputter rates for our Phi Quantum 2000 and show data we have collected on the measured sputter rates for Fe@sub 2@O@sub 3@ and CeO@sub 2@ relative to SiO@sub 2@. We also note that many modern materials for which thickness information is desired are not simple thin films. We have found that apparent sputter rates for nanoporous silica films can be significantly altered (at least for a short term) by sample processing and cleaning methods.