Dk. Chan et al., Chemical depth profiling on submicron regions: a combined focused ion beamscanning electron microscope approach, SURF INT AN, 27(4), 1999, pp. 199-203
The combination of focused ion beam (FIB) mining and held emission scanning
electron microscopy (SEM) with x-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS)
makes possible high-spatial-resolution (<1 mu m) element-specific depth pro
filing. The depth profile resolution is controlled via the FIB to < 5 nm sp
utter depths. Depth profiles through thin-film hard disk media on NiP subst
rates and through similar film structures deposited on a carbon-coated subs
trate are presented. The high spatial resolution of the FIB/SEM depth profi
le is not necessary for blanket films, and depth profiles through them are
used to benchmark the spatial and depth resolution of the technique using a
field emission SEM, Energy depth profiles that use increasing primary elec
tron beam voltages in the spectrometer are shown on the same samples in com
parison to FIB depth profiles. A brief overview of this technique in relati
on to XPS, AES and SIMS illustrates applications where FIB depth profiling
analysis offers some advantages. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.