Berlin 2012 – scientific programme

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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik

CPP 13: Poster: Interfaces and Thin Films

CPP 13.35: Poster

Tuesday, March 27, 2012, 18:15–20:45, Poster A

Layer thickness homogeneity determination via Rutherford backscattering in helium-ion microscopy — •Henning Vieker, Karsten Rott, André Beyer, Günter Reiss, and Armin Gölzhäuser — University Bielefeld, Faculty of Physics, Germany

The recently developed helium-ion microscope allows remarkable surface resolution with the secondary-electron (SE) detector. Simultaneously, backscattered ions can be detected that allow imaging with a substantially higher elemental contrast. This Rutherford backscattered (RBS) ion contrast depends mainly on the elemental composition of the investigated sample surface. The escape depth of RBS ions is much larger than for secondary electrons. Thus whole layers with a wide range of thicknesses will contribute to a RBS ion image, whereas the SE image is far more surface sensitive, i.e. insensitive to buried parts under the sample surface.

In this contribution we examine RBS ion imaging as tool to characterize thickness variations of layered samples with well defined compositions. In a model example the homogeneity of gold layers on silicon substrates is investigated. Achievable spatial resolutions as well as the possibilities in using a reference sample to measure layer thicknesses will be addressed.