| AVS 66th International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Applied Surface Science Division | Thursday Sessions |
| Session AS-ThM |
| Session: | Advances in Depth Profiling, Imaging and Time-resolved Analysis |
| Presenter: | Fred Stevie, North Carolina State University |
| Authors: | F. Stevie, North Carolina State University C. Zhou, North Carolina State University R. Garcia, North Carolina State University |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Scratch the surface of the AVS and you will find a lot more than semiconductors. AVS Divisions range from electronic materials to thin films to vacuum technology to biomaterials.
Depth profiles obtained using AES, XPS, or SIMS have typically been used to provide in-depth elemental analysis. SIMS excels in depth resolution and detection limit. Rotation of the sample during analysis (Zalar rotation) can maintain good depth resolution for materials that do not sputter evenly. Application of electron beams aids the study of insulators. Standards can be created to quantify the elemental components. [1]
Analysis in depth of biomaterials has shown tremendous strides as the sources used to remove material have evolved. Initial studies of depth profiles with argon, then molecular beams such as SF5+, larger still with C60+, and now cluster beams with argon produced ever higher secondary ion yields and made possible in-depth analysis without loss of chemical state. Continued development has resulted in three-dimensional organic analysis. [2] Some success has been achieved for quantification of organic additives, especially when the additive contains an element not present in the matrix. [3-4]
A significant limitation is the achievable depth. Profiles are typically less than 100 µm. However, some technologies need depth information on a millimeter scale. Sample preparation methods, such as etching, beveling, cross sections, and back side analysis, can be employed. Cryogenic microtome can be used to obtain a cross section of organic layers subsequently analyzed with ToF-SIMS. [5] EDS can provide in depth information on samples where material has been removed at a series of depths using FIB. [6] The emergence of plasma FIB (PFIB) instruments with microamp currents makes possible deeper profiles and exposure of larger areas for analysis by other techniques. The xenon plasma FIB can remove material as much as 50 times faster than a conventional gallium FIB. [7,8]
[1] Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, F. A. Stevie, Momentum Press (2016)
[2] J. Bailey, R. Havelund, A. G. Shard, I. S. Gilmore, M. R. Alexander, J. S. Sharp, D. J. Scurr, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 7, 2654 (2015)
[3] Chaunzhen Zhou, Fred A. Stevie, Stephen C. Smith, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B36, 03F115 (2018)
[4] S. C. Smith, C. Zhou, F. A. Stevie, R. Garcia PLOS ONE 13, e0209119 (2018)
[5] C. Zhou, D. Sun, R. Garcia, F. Stevie, Anal. Methods 10, 2444 (2018)
[6] R. Garcia, F. A. Stevie, L. Giannuzzi, Microscopy and Microanalysis Proceedings (2019)
[7] Noel S. Smith, John A. Notte, and Adam V. Steele, MRS Bulletin 39, 330 (2014)
[8] www.tescan.com/en-us/technology/fib-sem/