Ion sputtering yield measurements for submicrometer thin films

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Most of the published ion sputtering yield values are based on experimental techniques which do not correlate well with the ion sputtering process commonly used with surface analysis instrumentation. A need exists for ion sputtering yield measurements collected under the same conditions which will be used in practice. We have measured ion sputtering yields on several sputter-deposited metal films using the Auger electron spectroscopy ‘‘breakthrough’’ depth profile method, whereby characteristic Auger electron transitions for the thin film and the substrate are monitored while the thin film is being sputtered away. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry is used to measure the density of the films and a scanning stylus profilometer is used to measure the depth of the resulting sputter craters. The thin metal films exhibit a sputtering rate depth dependency, i.e., the sputtering decreases with the amount of material removed. It was shown that this phenomenon is related to surface roughening due to the directionality of the ion sputtering process. Reduction of the topographic effects with a significant improvement in depth resolution is demonstrated by continuously rotating the sample during ion bombardment.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: