Characterization of the interdiffusion in Au-Al layers by RBS

Abstract

The non-destructive standardless nuclear analysis technique Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) is used to study interdiffusion phenomena in aluminium and gold layers with a high depth resolution, e.g., at the interfaces. A multilayered system consisting of alternate aluminium and gold layers was deposited under high vacuum conditions on polished glassy carbon and single-crystalline silicon substrates to investigate the interdiffusion of gold and aluminium in as-deposited layers. The characteristic peaks of gold and aluminium are in background-free regions of the RBS spectra if the layers are sufficiently thin and substrates like silicon with a low Z are used. The RBS results indicate that the Au-Al interdiffusion behaviour in as-deposited layers strongly depend on the conditions during deposition in the evaporation chamber.