Characterization of silicon compounds using the Auger parameter in X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS)

Abstract

The Auger parameter is demonstrated to be valid for determining the change in the extra-atomic relaxation energy and is applied to the characterization of silicon dielectric thin layers. The changes in extra-atomic relaxation energy on going from Si to SiN 1.3 and to SiO 2 derived from the Auger parameter are -1.1 and -2.0 eV, respectively. These values are in good agreement with those derived from the polarization energy by Mott et al. The relationship between the polarizability and the Auger parameter is linear. Using the Auger parameter in XPS is a powerful and excellent method to determine the dielectric constant of very thin (⪅100 Å) silicon insulators since the electron escape depth is very small (⪅20 Å).