Composition and thickness determination of thin oxide films: comparison ofdifferent programs and methods

The mass thickness of thin titanium oxide and hafnium oxide films grown by the atomic layer deposition method on silicon substrates was determined usi ng EPMA data and STRATA and FLA programs. The results of the two programs c oincided well if a set of relative intensities was measured at different en ergies of probe electrons. Comparative measurements by XRF gave higher valu es. Comparing the mass thicknesses of films measured by EPMA and absolute t hicknesses determined by optical spectrophotometry, ellipsometry and profil ometry, the densities of polycrystalline films were estimated. Values of 3. 3 +/- 0.2 and 8.7 +/- 0.2 g cm(-3) were obtained for TiO2 anatase grown at 300 degrees C and monoclinic HfO2 grown at 600 degrees C, respectively. Tit anium oxide films deposited at 100 degrees C contained significant amounts of chlorine and hydroxyl groups (7.2 +/- 0.7 and 6.9 +/- 0.9 mass-%, respec tively).