Round-Robin Test for the Measurement of Layer Thickness of Multilayer Films by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Depth Profiling

Published

July 4, 2017

Author(s)

David S. Simons, Kyung Joong KIM, Jong S. Jang, Joe Bennett, Mario Barozzi, Akio Takano, Zhanping Li, C. W. Magee

Abstract

An international round-robin test (RRT) was performed to investigate a method to determine the interface location and the layer thickness of multilayer films by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) depth profiling as a preliminary study to develop a new work item proposal in ISO/TC-201. Two types of reference materials were used in this RRT. A SiGe alloy (Si52.4Ge47.6) reference film was used to determine the relative sensitivity factors of Si and Ge. A Si/Ge multilayer reference film was used to determine the relative sputtering rates of the Si and Ge layers. The layer thicknesses were measured from the interfaces determined by a 50 atom percent definition. Seven laboratories from five countries participated in this international RRT. The RRT reference expanded uncertainties for Si and Ge layers in a Si/Ge multilayer with similar thicknesses as the reference film were 0.76 nm and 1.17 nm, respectively. However, those in a thinner Si/Ge multilayer film were slightly larger at 1.04 nm and 1.59 nm, respectively. Most of the thickness ratios in the two Si/Ge multilayer films were consistent with the RRT reference value within their expanded uncertainties.

Citation

Surface and Interface Analysis

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

Ge, germanium, interface location, multilayer, Si, silicon, SIMS, layer thickness

Citation

Simons, D. , KIM, K. , Jang, J. , Bennett, J. , Barozzi, M. , Takano, A. , Li, Z. and Magee, C. (2017), Round-Robin Test for the Measurement of Layer Thickness of Multilayer Films by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Depth Profiling, Surface and Interface Analysis, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=922276 (Accessed November 25, 2025)