Depth distribution of boron determined by slow neutron induced lithium ion emission

Abstract

Neutron Depth Profiling (NDP) has been established as a non-destructive technique to determine the near surface distribution of light elements, particularly boron. By analyzing the residual energy spectrum of the emitted particles of known initial energy as a result of nuclear capture within the target material, information about the site and amount of the reactions can be deduced. In the event of 10B neutron capture, an alpha particle (1473 keV) and an excited 7Li ion (840 keV) are emitted, both conveying the same information. However, because the Li ion has a greater charge, the stopping power in a given matrix is higher than that for the alpha particle. Consequently, for boron near the surface, the location of the origin of the emission can be determined with better depth resolution. At the NIST NDP facility, routine analysis using the alpha particle has been established earlier. This paper reports the progress of using the 7Li ion stopping power to determine the boron depth distribution in the near surface of several matrices. This study has been performed on semiconductor device-related systems – boron in silicon glass, and carbon matrices. Various factors affecting the depth resolution are assessed when comparing the analysis of the alpha particle with that of the 7Li ion.