Limitations of ion etching for interface analysis

Abstract

The advantages and limitations of using ion sputtering for interfacial analysis are reviewed. It is concluded that many artifacts may degrade interfacial resolution (e.g. surface roughness, zone of mixing, bulk and surface diffusion, implantation, residual gas adsorption and matrix effects). Techniques to minimize these limitations are suggested, e.g. the use of reactive ion beams, multiple ion beams, sample rotation and special mounting, variable ion energies and incident angles, and deconvolution methods. It is concluded, however, that sputtering may destroy the atomic arrangement and chemical state information at the interface. New approaches are needed to determine these interfacial parameters and some are discussed in this paper as well as in the paper by Silcox et al.