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A new method for the determination of the diffusion-induced concentration profile and the interdiffusion coefficient for thin film systems by Auger electron spectroscopical sputter depth profiling

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 2004

J.Y. Wang  and
E.J. Mittemeijer
J.Y. Wang*
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Metals Research, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
E.J. Mittemeijer
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Metals Research, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

A new Auger electron spectroscopical sputter depth profiling method was developed to determine the interdiffusion coefficient for the initial stage of diffusion annealing of thin films. The method is based on (i) adoption of an interdiffusion model appropriate for the specimen investigated and (ii) convolution of an accordingly calculated diffusion-induced concentration profile with the smearing effects due to atomic mixing, surface/interface roughness, escape depth of the Auger electrons, and preferential sputtering. The diffusion-induced concentration profile and the interdiffusion coefficient are determined by fitting in an iterative least-squares procedure of the calculated Auger electron spectroscopical depth profile to the measured one. The method was applied to bilayered and multilayered structures, exhibiting dominant grain-boundary diffusion and dominant volume diffusion, respectively. A very small extent of interdiffusion, characterized by diffusion distances as small as 1 nm, could be quantified.

Keywords

Auger electron spectroscopy (AES)DiffusionThin film
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 19 , Issue 11 , November 2004 , pp. 3389 - 3397
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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References

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