SIMS measurement

Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) can be used to measure the composition of solid samples quantitatively at the surface as well as depth profiling. RBS is used for the analysis of heavy elements and can be combined with ToF-ERDA when lighter elements also need to be analyzed. Elements with similar mass can be difficult to differentiate.

XPS is a semi-quantitative technique used to measure the elemental composition of material surfaces. In addition, it can also determine the binding state of the atoms. XPS is a surface-sensitive technique. Typical probing depth is 3-9 nm, and detection limits range roughly between 0.1 and 1 atomic %. XPS can measure elements from Li to U. The elemental composition is reported in at.% and measured on 1 area of a few 100 µm. Upon request, we can measure smaller areas or depth profiles, and a binding state determination can also be provided. Measurements are typically performed using one of the following instruments: PHI Genesis, Thermo Fisher ESCALAB 250Xi, PHI Quantum 2000. Synchrotron XPS is also available. Contact us for more information and a quote for your project.

Total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) measurement to determine elemental trace contamination on wafer surfaces. 49-300 individual spots are measured, and the elemental concentrations are given as visual heatmaps on the wafer surface, as well as numeric concentrations. Almost all elements between sodium (Na) and Uranium (U) can be included in the list of analyzed elements. Most typically, some or all of the following elements are included: Al, Mg, Na, Ag, Ar, Ba, Ca, Cd, Ce, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Dy, Er, Eu, Fe, Gd, Hf, Ho, I, In, K, La, Lu, Mn, Nd, Ni, P, Pd, Pm, Pr, Rh, S, Sb, Sc, Sm, Sn, Tb, Te, Ti, Tm, V, Xe, Yb, Zn, Ac, As, At, Au, Bi, Br, Fr, Ga, Ge, Hg, Ir, Kr, Mo, Nb, Os, Pa, Pb, Po, Pt, Ra, Rb, Re, Rn, Ru, Se, Sr, Ta, Tc, Th, Tl, U, W, Y, Zr. All typical coated and bare wafers (e.g., Si, SiC, GaAs, GaN, InP, etc.) and sizes up to 300 mm (12 inch) are suitable for the measurement. Detection limits vary between 109 - 1012 at/cm2. Transition metals have lower detection limits compared to alkaline and alkaline earth metals. Spatial resolution is between 5-15 mm, depending on wafer size and number of points measured. The Rigaku TXRF 310Fab is typically used as the instrument. Pricing depends on several factors, including the number of spots analyzed and wafers submitted together. Please contact us for a customized quote.

High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) analysis to determine the exact molecular masses of various compounds, ranging from small organic molecules to large biological macromolecules. High accuracy makes HRMS ideal for the identification of molecular structures. Sample requirements: Information regarding the solubility of the sample in common high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) solvents (e.g., H2O, methanol, acetonitrile) or other solvents should be provided., 0.1% formic acid is used as an additive in the test. It is essential to confirm the sample's stability in this acid., Providing the expected molecular weight of the analyte(s) and molecular structure of the sample as a ChemDraw file is beneficial.. Measurement details: Scans can be performed in both positive (+ve) and negative (-ve) ion modes., An ACQUITY RDa Detector is utilized for detection..

Time-of-Flight Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (ToF-ERDA) measurement for determining the elemental concentrations of thin films. ToF-ERDA is capable of identifying all elements, including various hydrogen isotopes. It provides elemental depth profiles by determining the concentration of each element at different depths within a sample. Typically, the method achieves detection limits ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 atomic percent and depth resolution between 5 and 20 nm. It is suitable for analyzing films with thicknesses between 20 and 500 nm. For accurate measurements, the sample surface should be smooth, with a roughness of less than 10 nm. The method is inherently quantitative when analyzing thin films on typical substrates, such as silicon (Si), gallium nitride (GaN), silicon carbide (SiC), gallium arsenide (GaAs), or indium phosphide (InP). So, reference samples are not needed to obtain quantitative results. The technique is particularly useful when analyzing light elements due to its good detection limits. In addition to typical ToF-ERDA measurements, we also offer LI-ERDA (also referred to as Foil ERDA) for more precise determination of hydrogen isotopes. The detection limits with LI-ERDA are typically around 0.01 atomic percent, and depth resolutions of ~1nm can be achieved. LI-ERDA only allows detection of hydrogen isotopes.

Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) is a surface-sensitive technique (3-9 nm) used for compositional analysis and depth profiling, providing data on the elemental composition in depth. Secondary electron images can also be provided. AES is a very useful technique to measure patterns since it has a beam size that can go down to a few nm.

In XPS depth profiling, ion gun etching cycles and XPS analysis cycles are alternated to obtain semi-quantitative information on the elemental composition (at.%) of the sample as a function of depth. The binding states of atoms can also be analyzed as a function of depth to determine the chemistry of the sample and its variations with depth. XPS depth profiling is a destructive technique with an analysis area diameter ranging from 10 µm to several 100 µm. Sputtering is done with an Ar-cluster GCIB ion beam or Ar monoatomic ions, and XPS measurements are typically performed using one of the following instruments: PHI Genesis, Thermo Fisher ESCALAB 250Xi, PHI Quantum 2000.

Glow discharge-optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES) is a quantitative technique used to profile the elemental composition of a sample in depth. The technique is mainly used for quick depth profiling of thick materials, providing their elemental composition as a depth profile. It is commonly used to analyze inorganic materials and coatings, such as metal, glass, and ceramic coatings or multilayer stacks.

X-Ray Reflectometry (XRR) analysis is used to measure the density (g/cm3), thickness (nm), and roughness (nm) of thin films. The method is applicable to the characterization of single- or multilayered thin films, as it provides information on the thickness and density of individual layers of the sample material as well as the roughness of the interphases. Greatest accuracy for XRR thickness measurements is generally achieved for samples containing 1-150 nm thick surface layers with under 5 nm RMS roughness. Thicker films and coatings with rougher surfaces can also be characterized, but the accuracy of thickness determination decreases as the thickness and roughness of the film or film stack increase. >150 mm wafers are typically cut to fit the sample holder. Please let us know if you need testing for larger wafers that cannot be cut into pieces. The available temperature range for XRR measurements is 25-1100 °C, and crystallinity can be studied as a function of temperature. The measurements can be performed under a normal atmosphere, inert gas, or vacuum. Measurements are typically performed using one of the following instruments: Rigaku SmartLab, Panalytical X'Pert Pro MRD, Bruker D8 Discover. Please let us know if you have a preference for a specific instrument.

Spark-OES is a commonly used method to determine the elemental composition of metals and alloys. The method provides a better alternative to other similar analysis techniques (ICP-OES, ICP-MS, XRF) due to its speed and low detection limits. All metallic elements and some non-metallic elements, such as C, N, and S, can be detected in the ppm range. The method is suitable for solid metal pieces with a minimum size of 1 x 1 cm. Sample preparation is included in the analysis.