XPS Depth Profiling of Oxide Film/Substrate Interface Using Low Energy Sputtering

Abstract

The influence of Ar⁺ion energy in XPS sputter depth profiling of amorphous oxide film/substrate interface has been examined. It was found that the oxide film of metal substrate was formed at the interface mainly due to the knocked-on oxygen atoms during the sputter depth profiling. Furthermore, the low energy sputtering has been recognized to successfully reduce the changes in chemical state at the interface in addition to the improvement of depth resolution. The precise depth profiling with low energy sputtering was applied to the analysis of the O^-ion implantation into substrate during deposition of oxide films by do magnetron sputtering methods. It was found that the population of O^-ion implantation was larger in the reactive sputtering method compared to the oxide target sputtering method. Difference properties between the both sputter deposition methods such as a crystalline growth can be explained in terms of the O^-ion implantation effect during the deposition.