Semiconductor Films - AES

Thin films are used throughout semiconductor devices. Shown below is a monatomic argon sputter depth profile of Ni on Si that has been annealed to form a silicide at the interface. With the PHI 710 Auger Nanoprobe operating in the high energy resolution spectroscopy mode, it was possible to isolate spectral peaks for nickel silicide and metal as well silicon peaks for Si metal and silicide to create a chemical state depth profile to observe the location of the silicide.

Auger sputter depth profile of a nickel film deposited on silicon that was annealed to form a silicide.

Sample courtesy of Dr. Thomas Wirth, Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) Berlin, Germany