A critical comparison of on-line coupling IC-ICP-(AES, MS) with competing analytical methods for ultra trace analysis of microelectronic materials

On-line coupling of ion chromatography and atomic spectrometry (IC-ICP-(AES , MS)) are compared to so-called reference methods and other competing meth ods for ultra trace characterization of solid microelectronic materials. Th e comparison is based on analytical data gained for well characterized samp les by a number of different laboratories. The matrices used for comparison are Mo, Mo-oxide, MoSix, W,W-oxide, WSix, metallic As, red P and Re. The a nalyte elements accessible by IC-ICP-(AES, MS) and with reference values fo r at least one other method are Ag, Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Ti, Tl, Th, U and Zn. The agreement of results of IC-ICP(AES, M S) with those of isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) and radiochemica l activation analyses (RNAA) shows good accuracy for most elements and some contamination problems with ubiquitous elements. A correlation of IC-ICP-( AES, MS) and GDMS results is undoubtful, but the discrepancies are rather h igh. As further technique ETV-ICP-MS is compared, whose results are in reas onable agreement with IC-ICP-(AES, MS). Details on some new applications as well as of some new methodological enhancements of on-line coupling IC-ICP (AES, MS) for the matrices As and P were included.