Reactive ion sputter depth profiling of tantalum oxides: A comparative study using ToF‐SIMS and laser‐SNMS

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Abstract
A time‐of‐flight (ToF) suptter depth profile analysis of standard 15 or 30 nm thick anodically formed Ta2O5 layers as well as of the naturally grown ∼2 nm thin oxide overlayer on metallic tantalum samples has been made using both the techniques of (positive and negative) secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and laser secondary neutral mass spectrometry (Laser‐SNMS). Specific emphasis of this comparative study is on the characterization of the performance of a state‐of‐the‐art ToF mass spectrometer with respect to sputter depth profiling. The prospects of SIMS and Laser‐SNMS for quantitative near‐surface analysis are addressed under special consideration of reactive (Cs+ or Ga+) ion beam sputtering applied in the present work.