DETECTION OF SPUTTERED NEUTRALS BY ULTRAHIGH-INTENSITY POSTIONIZATIONIN THE NEAR-INFRARED

Characterization of sputtered semiconductor materials by ultrahigh-int ensity postionization has been performed utilizing a high repetition r ate, regeneratively amplified, ultrafast Ti-sapphire laser coupled wit h a modified magnetic-sector SIMS instrument. The laser produces 120-f s pulses with focused intensities well in excess of 10(14) W/cm(2) at 800 nm and 1 kHz, Studies of common matrices such as GaAs, InP, InGaAs P, and SiO2 indicate that both singly and multiply charged ions as wel l as molecular ions can be detected with high efficiency in both surfa ce analysis and depth-profiling sputtering modes. Relative sensitivity factors for the different elements are determined and related to the photoionization mechanism and to the other factors that can affect the detection efficiency. Future directions for such a technique are disc ussed.