Non-destructive depth profiling using variable kinetic energy- x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy with maximum entropy regularization
Date
2016
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
This study will describe a nondestructive method to determine compositional depth profiles of thicker films using Variable Kinetic Energy X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (VKE-XPS) data by applying proven regularization methods successfully used in Angle-Resolved X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (AR-XPS). To demonstrate the applicability of various regularization procedures to the experimental VKE-XPS data, simulated TiO2/Si film structures of two different thicknesses and known compositional profiles were “created” and then analyzed. It is found that superior results are attained when using a maximum entropy-like method with an initial model/prior knowledge of thickness is similar to the simulated film thickness. Other regularization functions, Slopes, Curvature and Total Variance Analysis (TVA) give acceptable results when there is no prior knowledge since they do not depend on an accurate initial model. The maximum entropy algorithm is then applied to two actual films of TiO2 deposited on silicon substrate. These results will show the applicability of generating compositional depth profiles with experimental VKE-XPS data. Accuracy of the profiles is confirmed by subjecting these actual films to a variety of “alternate” analytical thin film techniques including Sputtered Angle Resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Auger Electron Spectroscopy, Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy, Focused Ion Beam Spectroscopy, Transmission and Scanning Electron Spectroscopy and Variable Angle Spectroscopic Ellipsometry. Future work will include applying different regularizations functions to better fit the MaxEnt composition depth profile other than those described in this study.